


Jed 



THE 



INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

03, 

THE POWER OE CHRISTIAN UNION 

FOR THE 

WORLD'S SPEEDY CONVERSION; 



DISPLAYING THE CAUSES A«fD EVILS OF SCHISMS AMONG CHRISTIANS | 

THE BIBLE'S GREAT, BUT NEGLECTED TRUTH) THE NATURE, 

OBLIGATION, PRACTICABILITY AND PLAN FOR UNITING THE 

CHRISTIAN WORLD. 



By B. THOMAS TAYLOR, 

NEWCASTLE, KY. 



" That they all may be one, as thou Father art in roe, and I in thee; that 
they also maybe one in us, that the ivorld may believe that thou hast sent me." — 
John, xvii : 21. 



NASHVILLE: 

SOUTHWESTERN PUBLISHING HOUSE. 

CHARLESTON :— SOUTHERN BAP. PUBLICATION SOCIETY. 

NEW YORK :— SHELDON & COMPANY. 

BOSTON :— GOULD & LINCOLN. 

1859. 



V/X 






Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, by 

B. T. TAYLOR, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of 
Kentucky. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Many etfils are essentially self-corrective. One needs no 
admonition to snatch his own hand from the fire. Experi- 
ence is an effective teacher. Fools, only, can ignore its les- 
sons. To the wise, they are memorable and practical. Do- 
mestic extravagance, in its oppressive consequences, soon 
suggests the importance of its own correction. The inebri- 
ate is soon forced to feel the weight of those evils, to which 
he sells his health, respectability, and fortune; and though 
their remedy in the destruction of a tyrannizing habit, 
may be deemed too dear to purchase, he yet feels that the 
transgressor's way is hard. The evils which this volume 
exposes, and whose only remedy it is confidently believed to 
demonstrate, have long been felt by the people of God. They 
are such as to impress every mind; and though many have 
felt and deplored their hindrance of the world's conversion, 
yet few have felt the fearful responsibility incumbent on all 
to remove them, and with prayerful and patient effort, sought 
to discover their remedy. Yet some efforts have been made. 
The most impressive feature in the religious history of the 
nineteenth century — the Union Prayer Meeting of almost 
every locality — shows that the religious world grows tired 
of the sectarian fetters which separate the kindred souls of 
those who love our common Lord. " The Christian Alliance 
Society" was organized for the purpose of promoting that 
intimacy of union and cooperation among Christians, so evi- 
dently required by the Bible, and so earnestly desired by 
evangelical Christians. It is granted that its failure can not 
be ascribed to a want of energy, talent, and piety employed 
in its advocacy; and yet such failure should not forestall the 
hope, or discourage the efforts, to secure an end so desirable; 
because, 1. The scriptures still require the union of God's 
people, as necessary to the world's conversion. Permanent 
obligations require repeated efforts to discharge them, and 

(3) 



IV INTRODUCTION. 

no number of failures can destroy such obligation. 2. All 
efforts heretofore made, are more of a congregational, than 
of an individual bearing. The only way to. eradicate even 
national evils, is to secure their renunciation by individuals. 
So long as the obligations to Christian union are held forth, 
as having a congregational bearing only, the individuals 
will feel free to disregard them. The plan which the author 
urges, bears on individuals. Admitting, then, that talent, 
piety, and energy, were not wanting in the advocacy of 
"The Christian Alliance," its failure can not be justly 
alleged to discourage all efforts on the subject. Its failure 
was a consequence of its basis, or plan. 

To examine all the bases which have been urged, for the 
desired union of Christians, would be quite a hopeless un- 
dertaking, and would extend this paper beyond a reasonable 
length. The one proposed by Dr. Albert Barnes, of Phila- 
delphia — a learned Presbyterian, and most acceptable com- 
mentator on the Bible — is supposed to contain all that is 
good in all the others. Let us examine it with care and 
candor. Every effort to remove the evils of disunion among 
Christians, should be hailed with grateful pleasure, by all 
the lovers- of Zion. I would not, therefore, for one moment, 
disparage the zeal, learning, and piety of any who have 
labored for this worthy end, and especially would I. recog- 
nize and commend the laudable intentions, and the earnest, 
though unsuccessful efforts of Dr. Barnes, whose basis I 
now propose to examine. He will surely not be displeased, 
but rather gratified, if in aught, its defects are discovered, 
and the remedy made plain. To reveal such defects is tile 
object of this article. The remedy will be found demon- 
strated in the body of the volume. Two short paragraphs 
will sufficiently give the basis. 

" I. Perfect freedom among Christians, in forming denominations 
according to their preferences, or their views, in regard to worship 
and doctrine, and in attaching themselves to such denominations 
as tbey may choose." 

If by the ''perfect freedom," is meant non-interference by 
civil law — that coercion nor persecution for conscience' sake, 
shall be brought to bear — the paragraph is commendable and 
liable to no objection, unless, that, in our country, it is not 
needed. But if it means that each Christian should concede 
to all others that such is their moral right — that God has 
granted to all Christians such right, it is liable to the most 
serious objections. That this is the sense intended by th& 
author, is evident from the next paragraph. 



INTRODUCTION. V 

" II. The second thing we demand and claim, as following from, 
our argument; as essential to the proper unity of the church, and 
as lying at the basis of all negotiations in regard to the union of 
the different denominations — a sitie qua non in any attempt to 
promote such a union — is, that, in the evangelical denominations, 
there shall be a recognition of the ministry, membership, and 
sacraments of each other." 

1. This virtually and essentially forbids any effort to pro- 
mote the unity of God's people. To license a canonization of 
antagonisms both in belief and practice, is certainly inconsist- 
ent with an earnest effort to promote unity in the same. 
Awarding to all the moral right to make their own varied 
" preferences and views" their ultimate guide, "in forming 
denominations," and " in uniting with such as they choose,' 
what motive superior to this recognized right, could our au- 
thor's basis urge to enforce the obligations of unity? What 
good could be rendered common to all "the evangelical denomi- 
nations," by the sanction of this basis ? Would it reconcile 
them all to build and worship in the same house, to sustain 
and pray for the same preacher, to display their benevolence 
through the same channels, to patronize the same religious 
literature? None will affirm. The basis has then no other 
force than, by clear implication, to declare that, with all the 
antagonisms that now divide and distract Christians, there 
is as much unity of faith and harmony of action, as can or 
ought to exist. Indeed, it goes further and authorizes every 
Christian to head a new party in religion, if he choose to 
do so, with full assurance that such denomination shall, by 
all the others, be recognized " in its membership, ministry, 
and sacraments," and even in its "doctrine." Instead of 
proposing to reduce the number of conflicting sects, it offers 
to become the mother of an infinite number of others. 

It denies to each Christian the right to contend for the 
adoption of those Bible principles, Catholic as the Spirit of 
God, which, once understood, would become the nucleus of 
universal Christian faith and cooperation, and thus reduce 
to one, the existent number of sects in religion. Hence it 
virtually forbids all effort to accomplish the very end it de- 
clares desirable, and would completely destroy, in all 
Christians, the sense of obligation to become one. 

2. It denies the divine organization of the church, and 
leaves the metes and bounds of the "one fold," in which 
the " one people," shall be protected and ruled by " one 
shepherd," to be established by any one ambitious of such 
honor; and inculcates the incredible absurdity, that, amid 
all the wrangling -of sects thus established, in fearful con- 



VI INTRODUCTION. 

flict with each other, is to be recognized the unity which 
the Bible inculcates. 

Now the Bible either does, or does not, reveal the laws of 
church organization. If it does not, then all who lead or 
aid in the organization of a church, usurp an authority 
which God has, by implication, refused to grant. To argue, 
then, that all who wish may found a church, with the 
sanction of all others, is to advocate universal usurpation of 
authority in religion. If the Bible does reveal the laws of 
church organization, those laws are meant for universal 
adoption by all Christians. All can, and are required to 
understand and adopt them. No man, nor body of men, 
can, with impunity, supplant them by others. To deny that 
they can be understood, is to charge our Great Teacher, 
very presumptuously, with having failed in his effort to 
make the whole path of duty so plain, that " the wayfaring 
man, though a fool, need not err therein." We understand 
the directions given by men for church organization, why 
not those given by Christ? The inference is irresistible, 
that men can teach more plainly than Christ — a sentiment 
of which any Christian would surely be ashamed. Yet it 
is as creditable to an enlightened mind as that other, which 
is embalmed in the heart of almost all Protestant Christen- 
dom, viz,: that all the conflicting Creeds and Confessions of 
Faith endorsed by Christians-, are consistent with the Scrip- 
tures : at least enough so, to secure for each of their denom- 
inational abettors, the excellent cognomen of a Church of 
Christ, universally recognized in its "doctrine," its "mem* 
bership," its "ministry," and its "sacraments." 

The divine laws of church formation are consistent. Ten 
thousand churches, formed by their adoption, would be uni- 
form. A member of any one could find, in any other, a home 
iust like his own. Essential conflict would be impossible. 
The reception and expulsion of members, the administration 
of the ordinances, and the appointment of officers, would all 
be regulated by the same laws. Nothing else is involved in 
organization. 

These laws are binding. None may discard them, or sanc- 
tion their rejection by others. The basis of Dr. B. proposes 
to sanction, by the wholesale, the assumed authority to set 
them aside, and to receive in their stead such as the varied 
whims and fancies of men may prefer. Christians can not, 
therefore, generally adopt it. They are a peculiar people, 
and one of their peculiarities is, that, with a large amount 
of love to man, they blond au unflinching fidelity to the 



INTRODUCTION. Vll 

commands of God. They hold divine truth superior to fel- 
lowship or popularity. What individuals may do, and yet 
be Christians, 1 would not affect to determine; the power of 
educated prejudice may possibly, for a long time, suppress 
the dominion of right principle, even over a Christian; but 
to say that it certainly does, would be to go beyond God's 
Word, which says to all, "If ye are my disciples, ye will do 
ivhatsoever I command you." Hence but few could adopt 
this basis with all its inevitable consequences staring them 
in the face. 

3. This basis erroneously presupposes the question gener- 
ally decided as to what denominations are evangelical : 
"There shall be among the evangelical denominations," etc. 
It aims to provide for unity among them. It implies the 
impossibility, or the injuriousness, of embracing in the union 
any others. In this it is right. Evangelical and anti-evan- 
gelical denominations could no more unite than oil and water. 
The word, evangelical describes the only denominations that, 
within the metes and bounds of New Testament law, can 
unite. It means according to the Gospel. Denominations 
according to the Gospel are necessarily a unit in their re- 
ligion. No efforts are needed to unite them. As drops of 
the same fluid, they need only an opportunity. They have 
the same organization. Like the different congregations of 
Old School Presbyterians, they would naturally recognize 
each other in every respect. 

But the author doubtless intends by "evangelical denom- 
inations," those whose creeds and ministers set forth the 
saving and sanctifying elements of the Gospel; distinguish- 
ing between truths essential and truths not essential. To 
such distinction we should withhold assent, because too 
ignorant to pass sentence upon the non-essentials of God's 
appointment; but let the question be tried upon its own 
merits. It is designed to extend the mantle of fraternal 
recognition over all the children of God. Having departed 
from the meaning of the word evangelical, some standard 
must be adopted. Let us try, as a test of evangelical char- 
acter, the presence of Christians. No other test will serve 
the author's purpose. Is Catholicity evangelical? Yes; all 
admit there are some Christians even in " Mystery, Babylon, 
the mother of harlots and abominations." If not, why, in 
the Apocalypse, are they exhorted to " come out of her ?" 
Shall Romanism, then, be reckoned evangelical? If so, an 
error needs only the honor of a place in a church creed, to 
be so regarded. But Dr. B. did not intend the adoption of 



Vlll INTRODUCTION. 

this rule; though it is the only one that can meet the case. 
No other construction of his basis can make it the union 
point of all Christians. 

Let us, still more in accordance with the Doctor's inten- 
tions, invite to this basis five denominations that he will no 
doubt consider evangelical: the Presbyterians, the Methodists, 
the Episcopalians, the Congregationalists, and the Baptists. 
How much antagonism even here forbids union! Episcopacy 
and Congregationalism — the former contending for a central- 
ization of ecclesiastical power in the optimates of the church; 
placing at their disposal all things, the reception and expul- 
sion of members, the ordination of officers, and the absolute 
control of all the church property and finances ; the latter, 
frowning upon such arrangements, as oppressive to God's 
heritage, and vesting all the ecclesiastical power equally in 
all the members of the church. Yet this basis proposes to 
unite them without interference with their opposing features. 
A strange union it would be. "A house divided can not 
stand." 

Witness again the conflict of the pedobaptist and anti- 
pedobaptist features of these churches. The pedobaptists 
contend for the introduction of infants into the church. 
Take a paragraph or two from that creed which is more 
evangelical, perhaps, than that of any other pedobaptist de- 
nomination, the Presbyterian Confession of Faith, adopted by 
the General Assembly,. 1821, and emended 1833, Chap, xxv, 
Art. ii : " The visible church, which is also catholic or uni- 
versal, (not confined to one nation as before under the law,) 
consists of all those throughout the world that profess the 
true religion, together with their children; and is the king- 
dom of the Lord Jesus Christ, the house and family of God, 
out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation." 
In the Methodist and Episcopalian creeds, we find the doc- 
trine of infant regeneration in baptism. The antipedobaptists 
consider all this no better than infidelity, varnishe.d over with 
the semblance of truth. Now Dr. B.'s basis proposes no 
remedy for these conflicts, over which have been fought the 
fiercest battles of Christendom. How can they consist with 
any thing like unity in faith and practice ? 

Now Christians, when they let differences divide them at 
all, generally do, or ought to feel that such differences are 
matters of conscience. Tfrey can not sincerely ignore them 
as causes of dissent. Repentance and acknowledgment, on 
the one side or the other, are necessary to reconciliation. 
The Doctor's basis requires each one who is aggrieved by the 



INTRODUCTION. IX 

faith and practice of others, to lay a painful restraint upon 
his conscience, and, in effect, declare that those things which 
cause him real, soul trouble, do not affect him at all; though 
one who is really devoted to God might truthfully say, 
" These denominations reject and disobey more or less of 
the divine laws of church organization. Some things, which 
I think clearly taught in the Bible, they wholly neglect, or 
supplant by human tradition. I fear to recognize them as 
churches, lest God curse me for participation in their evil 
deeds." I say, though such are the sentiments of all sincere 
and honest Christians, who conscientiously can not become 
ecclesiastically identified with those whose differences they 
would tremble to avow, yet this basis would, without any 
regard to those misgivings, bring them to do the very things 
from which they honestly recoil. It would indeed be an 
unholy union. Christians in general are honest reasoners; 
but a glaring sophism alone could express their apology for 
such violence to conscience: "I know that I should encour- 
age the spread of error, and such as endangers the souls of 
men, and even the existence of the church. My sister de- 
nominations are, however, honest or dishonest in their faith. 
If dishonest, the sin is theirs, not mine. If honest, while 
they say they are aiming to get to heaven, I would not seem 
to hinder their enjoyment by proscribing their principles. 
If they think them right, to them they are right and safe. 
I will not adopt but only recognize them/' This is the last 
edition of Christian (?) charity. How can a Christian adopt 
it ? But nothing else could give currency to Dr. B.'s plat- 
form. Used in another case, the sophism reads exactly as 
follows : " I know that my neighbor, either wilfully or igno- 
rantly, is preparing for himself and family a sumptuous feast, 
fatally tinctured with arsenic. Invited to share it, I dare not 
partake extensively ; but will sanction it by my presence, and 
will affect to enjoy it, lest I should else alienate the affections 
of my neighbor. In so doing, I shall incur no personal 
injury, because instructed of the evil." I ask, Can a Chris- 
tian have such charity? and I answer, I doubt it. 

The disunion of Christians originates in mutual doubts of 
evangelical character, and a conscientious fear of extending 
a promiscuous sanction to both good and bad. These scru- 
ples, so right and evincive of piety in themselves, Dr. B.'s 
basis only proposes to blunt and stultify. I use strong lan- 
guage to be understood. Though he does not avow the con- 
sequence, yet it is involved in his basis, and he can not 
avoid the one without recalling the other. Men's errors 



X INTRODUCTION. 

should never be referred to their intentions, until their awful 
consequences are seen and avowed. 

4. Union on this basis is essentially impossible. All are 
to retain their denominational identity ; all claim the right 
to expel for errors of faith or practice; but there is nothing 
from which they can expel but the communion table. Some 
denominations expel for the avowal of doctrines held by 
others ; some for indulgences tolerated by others ; some for 
omissions permitted by others. The sentiment is : " It were 
wrong in us to sanction those errors of faith or practice by 
the admission of their subjects to the communion." Now the 
Baptists expel for dancing — the Episcopalians permit it; the 
Methodists for inveighing against their discipline — the Pres- 
byterians and Baptists are constantly in the habit of doing 
this. This basis requires each denomination to allow that 
which its sister denominations allow, and to sanction in the 
most solemn manner all that they avow. Now. while this 
basis proposes to leave untouched the distinctive features of 
all the sects, its adoption would actually destroy them all, 
and bring the purest sects of the compact on a level Avith 
the most corrupt. It could do no good; it would only spread 
the leaven of error more universally among all Christians, and 
promote a morbid charity in its general recognition. 

The Congregational and Episcopal orders would, by this 
compact, be required to change their peculiar features, or at 
least to ignore them. An endless dispute would mark the 
effort to decide whose peculiarities could best be ignored. 
Could the point ever be settled ? There is no more reason 
to believe it would than that any other point of religious 
controversy ever will. 

How could Baptists and Pedobaptists, while retaining their 
peculiar views, unite ? If both are conscientious, the Pedo- 
baptist can not ignore the importance of infant membership, 
nor the Baptist recognize it as a church ordinance. The 
latter believe and declare it an offshoot of popery, and radically 
destructive of church purity, and even of the church itself. 
Would the Doctor's basis constrain the Baptist or the Pedo- 
baptist to yield the point of controversy? Neither, I appre- 
hend. What then ? Would it constrain them to drop those 
points, and concur in pronouncing them unworthy of con- 
troversy ? Never. Hence the union is impossible. Were 
we to enter it with so many, and so serious restraints on our 
consciences, we could not warmly advocate it; and hence the 
union would only be nominal. 

The mode of baptism is also fiercely contested between the 



INTRODUCTION. XI 

denominations selected for this compact. The iminersionista 
deny that sprinkling and pouring are baptism at all — deny 
that they are, to their recipients, a valid passport to the 
Lord's Table, and other immunities of his house. * Their op- 
posers, it is true, do not retort by denying, in the same way, 
the validity of immersion; but still the developments of the 
last thirty or forty years, prove that the opposers of immer- 
sion will not end the controversy by yielding their preference 
for any considerations heretofore laid before them. How, 
then, can they mutually recognize each other's u sacraments?" 
It may be said that Dr. B.'s basis, if generally adopted, 
would soon evince the truth that in all the principles essen- 
tially antagonistic held now by Christians, the one side or 
the other is wrong, and should be for the great good which 
God has connected with the desired unity, renounced. But 
when two are at variance, it is not easy to see how they can 
be reconciled by an umpire pronouncing each of them right, 
as Dr. B.'s basis dues the contending sects in religion. The 
umpire, being an impartial judge, should decide which party 
is wrong, and what indemnity is right. Repentance and ac- 
knowledgment, without conviction of wrong, are impossible, 
however essential to a reconciliation even among Christians. 
Where Christians are the parties, this plan, it is believed 
will always succeed. Where it fails, no other ever has suc- 
ceeded. The basis should set forth the truth, that wrong is 
the cause of the antagonism it proposes to destroy; and then 
labor to show the wrong and its remedy. Such are the 
objects of this volume. 

D. N. PORTER. 

Eminence, Ky., May 2bth r 1859. 



C N T ENTS. 



PAOE. 



Chapter I — The Sleeper's Prayer answered, 11 

II— The Trial, 23 

III — Liberality, 37 

IV— Light, 50 

V — Increasing Light, 78 

VI — Sincerity as good as Truth, 91 

VII — Never too Late to Try, 108 

VIII— Spots, 123 

IX— The Enemy of Truth, 139 

X— The Neglected Truth, 155 

XI — The Basis Unchanged and Unchangeable, . 217 

XII— The Shallow Sophism, 245 

XIII— The Difficulty Solved, 25S 

XIV— Fruits Gathered, 275 

XV— Prediction, . 288 

XVI— The Sermon, 314 



(12) 



THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 



CHAPTER I. 



The fame of Dr. Stewart, as a Presbyterian min- 
ister of burning zeal and irresistible eloquence, had 

reached the thriving village of L , in one of the 

Southern States. The town had a growing popula- 
tion of about 2,200 inhabitants. The Presbyterian 
church had long languished under the ministry of a 
highly intellectual, speculative, systematic, precise, 
sermon -reading pastor. The Methodist and Episco- 
pal churches were in a condition very similar. A 
few old members that prayed for Zion's peace and 
prosperity urged the importance of inviting Dr. 
Stewart to hold with them a meeting for a few 
weeks. He came, and a good deal more than real- 
ized their expectations as to his earnest eloquence, 
and untiring zeal. ~No studied nourishes in his ser- 
mons, nor sparkling jewels of classic beauty aroused 
and defied the criticism of his hearers. His lan- 
guage was the vehicle of earnest thought, and his 
rhetoric the outpouring of an earnest heart. He 
did not sit and wait for an organ or a drilled choir 
to grind out the songs of Zion. He sung such songs 
as the congregation could aid in singing, and his 

( 13) 



14 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

own rich voice blended its devotional tones with 
those of the congregation. As he pleaded with sin- 
ners to repent, and with Christians to awake to 
duty, big tears rolled down his earnest cheeks. He 
would often forget that it was fashionable to stand 
in the pulpit until the sermon ended, and would go 
down among the congregation amid his burning ap- 
peals. Xor did the house of God alone witness such 
earnest efforts to do good. The interim between 
public worship, was spent in faithful religious con- 
versation. He visited every brother known to neg- 
lect his church and his Christian duties. Many 
"forsook the assembling of themselves together." 
With them he expostulated. Some took no part in 
the Sabbath school. He pressed their duty. Some 
observed not family religion. He wept over them, 
and besought them to neglect no longer. Some 
were at variance. He became earnest umpire in 
reconciling them. But best of all, his exhortations, 
prayers and example aroused their starchy, literary, 
fashionable Pastor to suspect the soundness of his 
own hope in Christ, and drove him to seek the Lord 
as an awakened sinner. He now felt his weakness 
as a little child, and in bitterness of soul de- 
plored the pride and formality which had marred 
the happiness and usefulness of his past life. He 
was reformed. 

Two weeks passed away, and the Pastor and 
members of the Presbyterian church were com- 
pletely revolutionized. The pulpit was now filled 
by a soul, as well as a body — by the power, as well 
as the form of godliness. The sermons moved, and 
breathed, and warmed the souls who heard them. 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 15 

The diction and figures of discourse were lost in the 
glowing ardor of pious eloquence. The dazzling 
blaze of awakened piety revealed the deformities of 
Christian character. The deceived were alarmed by 
a trembling sense of their unregeneracy, and were 
led to seek the Savior in earnest. Hypocrisy no 
longer masked the monstrosities it had before her- 
alded for true piety. The splendor of godliness 
sparkled from the pulpit in the exhibition of truth, 
felt and realized, as the people had never before wit- 
nessed it. The self-deemed Christians of full grown 
stature, now felt themselves the merest babes in 
Christ — felt that they needed the gospel, and prayer- 
meetings, and everything else that might promote 
their growth in grace. They had for the most part 
used these means to accommodate their Pastor 
rather than to invigorate their own souls. Awak- 
ened piety in the person of both Pastor and mem- 
bers now walked the streets, and sought the hovels 
of wickedness and poverty, as well as the mansions 
of wealth, declaring with tears the woes and dan- 
gers of the wicked, or in the intoxications of buoy- 
ant, heaven-lit Hope, antedating the joys at God's 
right hand. The Eeformers were loud in their cen- 
sures of such fanaticism. The Methodists and Episco- 
palians did not feel called upon to engage in the meet- 
ing. They heard only a few of those burning Gospel 
sermons, and received only a few of those earnest 
visits. Hence the awakening among Christians was 
partial. Though the sermons had all been directed 
to the church, they had a powerful influence on the 
unconverted, who perceived by them the alarming 
difference between themselves and Bible Christians, 



16 Till: INFIDLl/s CONFESSION', 

and, forgetting the foibles of Christians, which they 
had construed as apologies for their crimes, they 
sought the Lord for their own personal security. 
Tlmugh they felt not a sensible disparity between 
themselves and ordinary Christians, yet they readily 
saw the contrast between themselves and the purity 
and elevation of character required by the Bible. 

Ten days longer continued the meetings, and 
many giving evidence of sound conversion, were 
joined to the people of God. An incident, which 
may well be styled a feature of that revival, is 
worthy of note. From the first of the interest 
among tin- Christiana, an ex-Judge Eolen, who was 
enjoying, in retirement from business, the abundant 
fruits of his more youthful energies and success, and 
whose amiable wift was a pious member of the 
toeafayterian chnroh, had been a regular attendant 
upon the sermon* He was an avowed Infidel. 
His position and intelligence, his high-toned mor- 
ality and sense of honor, together with his wealth 
and benevolence, gave him an influence not .easy to 
be broken. As the massive oak sometimes shades 
many smaller trees of the forest, nor permits them 
to receive either the full fury of the threatening 
blast, or the unmitigated power of the sun, so he, 
winding the vigorous tendrils of his influenco 
through all the ramifications of society, holds, by 
his example, as with a fatal spell, a multitude of 
bin inferiors, who lose the consciousness of their in- 
dividualism in an obsequious regard for his superior 
wisdom and prudence. For his conversion all hearts 
were moved. He had read the Bible a great deal 
and with close attention, and while far from wishing 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN' UNION. 17 

to influence others to reject Christianity, he yet took 
no pains to keep his skepticism private ; but, fond 
of seeming to be influenced by reasons, he strenu- 
ously vindicated himself from a want of reason in 
rejecting the Christian religion. During these meet- 
ings, the abiding concern of his wife for his conver- 
sion was deepened into a holy agony. Day and 
night did she. wrestle for him in prayer. Nor was 
she without sympathy. Many prayers, both public 
and secret, were offered. for the Infidel husband of 
the pious wife. Poor woman ! Little else engaged 
her heart but the desire and hope of his salvation. 
Oft did she bathe his bosom with burning tears, 
and plead in sobs, that he would give his heart to 
God. He, too, often let fall the big tear, and shook 
like a trembling leaf. He never frowned on these 
efforts to break his spell of unbelief, and win him 
to the Savior. Oft did he read again that Bible 
against whose inspiration of God, he had found and 
entertained so many objections. "I would give the 
world to believe it/' he would often say. " Could I 
do so, I should not neglect my soul ; but I can not, 
though I declare I fear to disbelieve it. The Doc- 
tor's earnest sermons have, I think, dissipated all 
my difficulties but one; but that, I fear, none can 
remove. He has tried it most faithfully, but it still 
stands like a mountain of rock between me and 
Christ. I mean the divisions among Christians. 
Would not a divine religion unite all its recipients? 
I have ever believed this with so much confidence 
that if Christianity proves to be a verity, I expect 
to lose my soul through the insuperable nature of 
this barrier to belief." 



18 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

As the labors of the meeting drew to a close the 
agon y of that disconsolate wife became more intense. 
The last evening had come. To hear the earnest 
farewell of the loved man of God, the sanctuary was 
crowded at an early hour. In a pew near the pulpit 
sits in melancholy sadness the Infidel, worn out as 
with sorrow and sleeplessness, — his wife like a hope- 
less mourner lingering beside the grave of affection, 
leans on his bosom, her heart struggling to relieve 
itself in heavy si^hs and sobs. Few hearts were 
there but sympathized with hers. As the minister 
announced his text, " The harvest is past, the sum- 
mer is ended and we are not saved," her soul was 
once more convulsed with anguish ; and then, as 
if in settled grief, she became composed, resolved 
henceforward to vent all her efforts in prayer to Him 
who turneth the hearts of men whithersoever he 
will. 

A few weeks after the meeting closed, the spiritual 
stupor was as profound as ever. Infidelity, stag- 
gered and confounded for a while by the terrible 
majesty of Zion partially awake, now rises as if to 
triumph over a slaughtered foe. The Judge had con- 
stantly acknowledged the superior morals inculcated 
by the Bible, and encouraged and assisted every 
effort to promulgate its principles. No house of 
worship was reared in his vicinity without his aid ; 
nor did he aid less in supporting the ministers. 

A few months after the meeting, he was summoned 
to Texas to attend to some secular interest. As the 
time of his return home neared, his soul instinct- 
ively yielded itself to the dominion of those affec- 
tion^ inclining him to hasten his journe}'. After au 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 19 

impatient and weary voyage across the gulf, he 
reached Xew Orleans, transported by the idea of 
being once more so near home. An imperative and 
unexplained message, " Hurry Home ! " had been 
two days before lodged with a friend. Two days 
more, and, as he drew near, he saw his beautiful 
village home ; but alas ! it was the meeting point of 
gathering mourners. How struggled in his bosom, 
the desire, and the fear, to know the caused As he 
stepped from the coach, the tidings met him, that 
the partner of his bosom had sickened and died ! 
How sunk the strong man's heart when he felt the 
stroke ! And as he gazed for the last time on the 
pallid features that were now composed by an an- 
gel's hand, and lit by angel's smile, and recalled the 
tears and agony his infidelity had caused that loved 
sleeper and the voice that accompanied the last, 
gentle, earnest pressure of her hand, now lifeless on 
her bosom, " Seek the Lord while he may be found," 
the spell he had so much deplored was broken. 
His infidelity gave way. On two accounts he was 
now a mourner — the loss of his companion, and a 
sense of his guilt as a sinner before God. He became 
a man of prayer. How void that heart from which 
the cold, damp grave had now received its most 
cherished treasure, its only earthly heaven, not leav- 
ing even the hope of a heaven above ! But as he 
turned away to smother the griefs of life in his lone 
bosom, bereft of that sympathy which had shared 
his joys and halved his sorrows, a deeper wound 
was festering in his heart. He saw himself as a 
ruined sinner. But as the unconverted too gener- 
ally do, when awakened, he commenced trying to 



20 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION. 

work out his salvation by the law. He clung to his 
prayers, tears, sacrifices of selfish gratifications, and 
even to self-punishments, and reformation, with such 
confidence as to exclude a sense of his dependence 
on Christ. But the arrow of conviction was lodged 
in his heart. The Physician of souls alone could 
extract it, and heal the wound. For weeks he was 
a sad mourner. Naught kept him from despair 
but the strange and unaccountable belief that he 
was getting ready to trust in Christ for salvation. 
Many Christians offered what assistance, and in- 
struction they could give. But they did him little 
or no good, as they always manifested their promi- 
nent object to induce him to join their church. 
Some even tried to persuade him he was a child of 
grace, and urged him to come along the next Sab- 
bath and join the church. lie told them he was far 
less anxious for a place in any church than to be a 
Christian. Some did not even then desist until he 
assured them how honestly he doubted whether any 
church with whose organization and polity he was 
yet acquainted was a 2sew Testament church. They 
then rather cast him off and treated him as a bigot. 
But it only made him the more sensible how deeply 
he needed an Almighty Savior, and he continued to 
seek him in reading the Bible and in prayer. 

It was on Sabbath night. He had returned from 
a sermon on the text, " O, that I knew where I 
might find him ! " The sermon had moved his soul. 
He felt that he must die or find relief. After read- 
ing for some time he closed the Bible in solemn 
meditation. " A thousand times have I already 
done, in vain, what 1 am now about to repeat with- 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 21 

out the least assurance of any better effect — bowed 
down in prayer that God would enable me to see 
what keeps me from trusting Christ as my Savior. 
Still am I as guilty and hard-hearted as ever. The 
heavens over me are as brass. My prayers reach not 
the ears of the most high. I have hoped in the 
efficacy of repeating them, and would gladly do it 
ten thousand times, if life might be spared so long ; 
but the truth is now too clear, that they are with- 
out merit in the eyes of God, and I know not what 
to do. If I continue to pray so till the day of 
death, what will it avail ? Nothing, nothing ! I 
should be lost. What shall I do? Ah ! what can I 
do, but die as I am and be lost ? I clearly see that 
is my just doom, unless God saves me without my 
doing any thing to merit salvation. Will he do 
that? No; I can not believe it. But one thing I 
know and feel as I never conceived or felt it before, 
he is just though I may perish. I deserve to be lost, 
and lost I must be. But O, how shall I endure even 
life without hope? Let me once more view the 
character of Christ, and see if I, in all my sins, may 
indulge the hope, that he will even yet in his great 
compassion, pity and save me. ' Alas ! and did my 
Savior bleed? and did he die for me.' Glorious 
Savior ! It would be some relief, if I might only 
serve and glorify him in hell, and serve him I will, 
while I live ; yea, ' and I will trust him though he 
slay me.' Bless the Lord, O my soul! I have found 
the mystery. It is, trust and live. How simple! 
and yet I could not understand it till now. Christ 
is my righteousness. He is the very Savior I need. 
'•The secret of the Lord is with them that fear 



ZZ THE INFIDEL S CONFESSION, 

Him." Believing in Christ, he rejoiced in hope of 
the glory of G-od. Justified by faith, he had peace 
with God. He wanted to tell the whole world tho 
way of escape he had found through Christ. Ho 
could not resist the inclination to call on several of 
his neighbors even at that late hour to tell them. 
He became at once a zealous Christian — visited all 
the prayer-meetings and publicly told how great 
things the Lord had done for his soul. Indeed he 
thought no one before had ever made so uarrow an 
escape. He was not ashamed to exhort sinners pub- 
licly and privately; would always lead in prayer 
when asked to do so. It seemed his fixed purpose 
to do as much for Christ as he had done against 
him. Being often urged by his friends to join one 
or another of the churches of his place, he gave 
them assurance of his Christian fellowship for all 
God's people, and reminded them that when he sur- 
rendered himself to Christ he had solemnly promised 
to serve him all the days of his life. " ]Sw/' said 
he, " if I do n't take time to read his Word, I shall 
not know what he requires of me. When I learn 
that from his Word, you shall hear from me." 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 23 



CHAPTER IL—The Trial 

For inore than a year Judge Rolen had, in connec- 
tion with other religious duties, pursued, with dili- 
gence, the study of the Scriptures. Because of his 
impassioned exhortations he had often been put for- 
ward in the prayer-meetings of the different churches. 
His piety was felt. A love of God's truth was a 
strong feature in his religious character. He consid- 
ered it sinful to quote the Scriptures out of their 
connnection to prove even a truth. For instance, 
he heard a Presbyterian and a Eeformer one day 
discussing the depravity of human nature. The Pres- 
byterian quoted: "The whole head is sick; the whole 
heart is faint. From the crown of the head to the 
sole of the feet we are bruises and wounds and putre- 
fying sores." The Judge interrupted him: u My 
brother, your doctrine is certainly right; but you 
misapply the Scriptures. That passage only notes 
the chastisements with which God had sought to cor- 
rect his people, before he gave them over to the fury 
of their enemies. As if he had said: 'why should I 
punish them longer by peacemeals.' They are al- 
ready bruised all over by my chastisements. I will, 
in my fury, make a fall end of them at once/' He 
studied the Bible to learn the primary and contextual 
meaning of every passage. And as he used for the 
most part no notes or commentaries, but directed his 
eyes immediately toward the blaze of Bible truth, 
he advanced very rapidly. It was the honest question 
of his soul, "What are God's instructions?" So deep 
was his reverence for His Word, that nothing deduced 



24 the iefidel's confession. 

from religious customs, however honored by time, or 
sanctioned by names, weighed the value of one feather 
with him, further than it was sustained by the Bible. 
He was not in the habit of controverting. He would 
press the claims of Christ upon sinners without any 
hesitancy; but in doctrinal matters, he was forming 
his views from the Bible, and would not controvert, 
Lest he might advocate what is wrong, or oppose 
what is right, and thus bias his own perceptions of 
truth. While he would listen to discussions by those 
whose views he deemed more mature than his own, 
he feared the effect of excited efforts to prove, or to 
refute, those sentiments, whose real truth or fallacy, 
and bearings he was honestly trying to learn from 
the Scriptures. 

Sometime after this, he was favored with a visit 
from Mr. Sellers, the Presbyterian Pastor in L — . 
The usual civilities being exchanged, they held the 
following conversation. 

Mr. 8. " Well, sir, I believe it has been a little 
over two years since I learned your determination to 
inquire of the Bible what course you ought to take 
as a Christian. May I propound the friendly in- 
quiry — ' How are you progressing?'" 

J. "Certainly, sir; and I cordially thank you for 
the interest you manifest. I have lost but little time 
from the investigation ; and feel that I have wasted 
less in it; for never did I spend two years more 
pleasantly, or more profitably, than I have those just 
past. My inquiries have been directed to the dis- 
covery of my own duty as a sinner ransomed by the 
blood of Christ, and owing all my joys and hopes to 
him. In learning some duties I have had but littlo 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 25 

difficulty. To learn some others has very much em- 
barrassed me, arid-still does so." 

Mr. S. " Have 3-011 come to the conclusion that 
you ought to join the church?" 

J. "Yes, sir; I had not gone once through the 
New Testament before I learned that Christ requires 
believers, 'both men and women,' to be baptized and 
added to the church. This is one of the points I 
found it so easy to settle. It is too plain for doubt." 

Mr. S. " Well what were some of the points you 
could not settle so easily? Was one of them the 
mode of baptism?" 

J. " By no means. I learned from the little book 
by Edwards, which you sent and requested me to 
read, about two years ago, that Greek scholars en- 
counter great difficulties in settling this point. But 
I am no Greek scholar, and being compelled to make 
up my views from our common Bible, I have found 
no difficulty as to the mode of Baptism. Is our 
Translation a safe guide?" 

Mr. S. " yes; but what do you understand it to 
teach as to the mode of baptism?" 

J. " From the 3rd chapter of Matthew, I learned 
that Christ 'was baptized in the river of Jordan,' and 
'being baptized, he came up out of the water.' — That 
John baptized in Aenon because there was much 
water there. — That we are to draw nigh to God with 
the full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled 
from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with 
'pure water.' — That the Eoman and the Colossian 
christians 'were buried with Christ by baptism/ and 
that the same Apostle who uses this last clause, also 
.states that there is 'one Lord, one faith and one bap- 
V 3 



26 THE INEPXBLS CONFESSION, 

tisra;' thus in effect denying that more than one 
exists by divine appointment. To administer this, 
Luke says that both the candidate and the adminis- 
trator ' went down into the water/ and when the act 
was performed, 'they came up out of the water.' Af- 
ter all these plain instructions, I could not have any 
difficult}* about the mode of baptism. I have of course 
inferred, that baptism is scripturally administered 
by burying the whole body, so as to cover it with 
water." 

Mr. S. " Did not Edwards on Baptism, show 3*011 
many good reasons to doubt the reliableness of your 
conclusion ?" 

J. " I think not. If I understand him at all, he 
deems it impossible to learn what our Savior means 
by the act of baptism. He seems to think Christ 
appointed that sacred ordinance to be a subject of 
important and endless strife among Christians — im- 
portant, or he would not have written a book merely 
to show that no one can understand what Baptism 
is. For my life, I can not sympathize with his diffi- 
culties. I confess that I am forced to consider him 
somewhat skeptical. He constantly ridicules as non- 
sense and puerility the most natural and honest con- 
clusions to which my Bible leads me." 

Mr. S. " But do you not find baptism sometimes 
used in such connections as forbid the idea of im- 
mersion ? If this be the case, your conclusion is not 
a good one. 

J. " No; but I should then conclude that the Bible 
contradicts itself. While it designedly makes the 
impression that there is only one baptism, and that 
immersion, if it so speaks of that baptism as to show 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 27 

that it can not "be immersion, then indeed my con- 
clusion is wrong; and it seems to me that I should 
agree with the infidel that the Bible is contradictory 
in its teachings. As an infidel, I have often con- 
tended, and the ministers of Christianity conceded, 
that one irreconcilable contradiction in the Bible 
would nullif} T its claim to divine inspiration. Would 
it not with you?" 

Mr. S. " Truly. But if I convince you that the 
Bible does speak of baptism in such connections as 
obstinately forbid the idea of immersion, I hope you 
will not reject the Scriptures before you hear what 
may be said to remove the appearance of contradic- 
tion." 

J. " Certainly not ; but I tremble for any one who 
will make the effort. For it seems to me impossible, 
if there is only one baptism, and that is immersion, 
as it certainly is, that this baptism can ever be ajiy 
thing else. But it is a question of fact, which you 
seem willing and anxious to prove, and I will not 
detain you." 

Mr. S. "If you will consult Matt, iii: 11, <I indeed 
baptize you with water/ I think you will be puzzled 
to tell how one can be immersed luith water. If im- 
mersion had been intended, I think we should find 
it in water." 

J. "I grant that in would be more forcible. But 
you are to show that in this connection immersion 
would be impossible. Otherwise your argument fails. 
To me it seems very easy to immerse, or cover up, 
with water. But after your argument, I may think 
differently. The whole connection makes it seem to 
me impossible for baptize to mean any thing else but 



28 THE infidel's confession, 

to immerse, even in this place. Verse 16, 'Jesus, -when 
he was baptized, went up straitway out of the water.' 
He need not have gone into the water unless to be 
immersed. Mark i : 5, 'And there went out unto him 
all the land of Judea. and they of Jerusalem, and were 
all baptized of him in the river of Jordan.' How they 
could be poured in the river, or sprinkled in the 
river, I can not conceive. Could you pour or sprin- 
kle a number of people in a river, in any sense of 
those words? To sprinkle or pour water and to 
sprinkle or pour people, seem to me very incongru- 
ous ideas. "Would you use them in the same sense?" 

Mr. S. "It is true that to sprinkle people in a 
river, and to sprinkle water upon people in a river 
are ideas requiring very different style of expres- 
sion ; but how could John have immersed the many 
thousands that resorted to his baptism?" 

J. '• Do n't leave this argument, if you please, until 
you heartily give it up, or endorse its absurditj^. We 
shall never agree, unless we finish the discussion of 
one point at a time. If you endorse the absurdity to 
which it leads, you will seem to me desirous only to 
perplex me with vain questions, and we will drop 
the discussion at once." 

Mr. S. "The absurdity you speak of, is that to 
sprinkle people in a river is the same as to scatter 
them in the river, as one sprinkles seeds upon a bed ; 
well, to be frank, I see and confess the absurdity 
and will use the argument no more. Shall we now 
notice the impossibility of John's immersing so 
many thousands in so short a time?" 

J. ""Why, you just admitted that he immersed 
them, by declaring it absurd, that he sprinkled, or 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 29 

poured them in the river. Will you argue that he 
did not baptize them at all? If he neither sprinkled 
nor poured them in the river, he must have im- 
mersed them, or not baptized them at all; so you 
have confessed that in this connection is found 
nothing against the possibility of their immersion." 

Mr. S. ''By no means ; I will show you that, even 
admitting all I have admitted, they could not have 
been immersed for want of time. There was an im- 
mense number of them." 

J. "But I tell you your effort is a dangerous one. 
If you prove that they were not immersed, without 
recalling your admissions that the water was neither 
sprinkled nor poured upon them, you will make the 
Bible contradict itself most flatly. For it says they 
were baptized, and you will prove they were neither 
sprinkled with water, nor had it poured on them, nor 
were themselves immersed in it. I beg you to note 
well this point before you make your effort. You 
have no right as a Christian, or a Logician, to in- 
volve things so. You have undertaken to prove it 
impossible that in this case the people could have 
been immersed, because baptized with water. Then, 
after acknowledging your effort vain, and being 
forced to admit that, if baptized at all, they were 
immersed, you propose to prove again that for want 
of time they could not have been immersed ! Your 
only possible conclusion will be that the Bible lies 
about their being baptized at all. I repeat my warn- 
ing. Yours is a dangerous effort. You had better 
beware! " 

Mr. S. "I am embarrassed; whether confused in 
my own efforts to reason, or confounded by a just 



30 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

force in your argument, I know not ; but on this 
article I will proceed no further at present. I per- 
ceive you have resolved on immersion for your bap- 
tism, and I do not hope to shake you from your 
purpose. I have only to say that while I have not 
considered immersion essential to the validity of 
baptism, I am far from considering it wrong, and 
will immerse you if you desire it." 

J. "Courtesy requires me to thank you for your 
kind proffer to immerse me ; for no other mode of 
baptism, I think, will ever satisfy me ; but may I 
ask the question whether, in this argument, you are 
entirely candid ? You seem to me unwilling to 
acknowledge your own convictions." 

Mr. S. "Well, sir, it is hard to know ourselves. 
I have until to-day thought myself candid when 
looking at this subject; but I now confess that 
either my candor or my reasoning is at fault. I 
am unwilling to decide which, until I have re- 
viewed the whole subject in the quietude of retire- 
ment. Principle does not require the ministers of 
our church to argue against immersion. We prac- 
tice upon its acknowledged validity all over the 
world by inviting immersed Christians to our Com- 
munion Table. Though we clo not deem it essen- 
tial, we deem it valid. I do not yield the point alto- 
gether. We have many arguments that I have not 
referred to yet. By some of them, I may yet de- 
monstrate to you the truth of my position." 

J. "But you have shut out every other source of 
argument by admitting the 'one baptism' to have 
been immersion in this place. Is not your reason 
to-day at fault?" 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. SI 

Mr. S. "We deny that John's baptism is Christian 
baptism ; and even admitting that to have been im- 
mersion, we can still argue that Christian baptism 
was by some other mode." 

J. " Your denial is very strange, since Christ ful- 
filled the law of his own kingdom by taking John's 
baptism, but over this we need not contend. You 
shall decide whether this new feature modifies the 
question in dispute : do Paul and Peter use different 
words in their letters to denote baptism from those 
employed by the Evangelists in reference to John's 
baptism?" 

Mr.. S. " They do not. They employ the same in 
the original, and these are translated the same way 
in our version. And I frankly confess the issue be- 
tween us is not at all changed by this new feature. 
As I before said, I must, in the quietude of retire- 
ment, review our ground, and will, for the present, 
if you please, drop the discussion." 

J. " One more suggestion let me beg you to take 
with you into 'the quietude of retirement.' It is 
whether immersion is not the mode and the only 
mode which all the churches consider valid, and if 
so, whether it should not, for that reason, if for no 
stronger, become the universal and only mode prac- 
ticed. If of three national banks only one issues 
paper which is current everywhere, will not every 
body patronize that one ? " 

Mr. S. "I will remember your suggestion. Indeed 
it seems a good one. But I really think you would 
be more happy and useful in the church than out of 
it, and shall bo myself happy to receive the promise 



32 the infidel's confession, 

that 3*011 will embrace an early opportunity to dis- 
charge the duty of joining." 

J. " I feel the force of what you say. I am indeed 
unhappy out of the church. Sunset should not 
again mark my delinquency, if 1 knew how to dis- 
charge that duty to-day. But the reminiscences of 
my infidelity lead me to be very careful in selecting 
a church. I was near losing my soul through the 
schisms of Christians. I am certain that every de- 
nomination can not be a church of Christ. That 
each one has good and bad, both doctrine and mem- 
bers, I doubt not. This, at all events, is true, so far 
as my knowledge enables me to judge. The church 
of Christ is only one — 'my beloved is one' — and 
where to find that one, is yet my difficulty. Should 
I ever find it, I expect to be able to subscribe all its 
terms of membership and communion." 

Mr. S. "I trust you see in our church nothing 
revolting to your conscience, do 3*ou? " 

J. t: The Bible gives me no reason to fellowship 
your baptism, or the infant subject to which you 
administer it, and therefore I am compelled to re- 
gard 3 T our church a schism." 

Mr. S. " What do you mean by a schism ? " 

J. "A religious organization involving terms of 
membership, and commur.ion, to which all honest 
Christians can not subscribe as sanctioned by God's 
word, without wounding their consciences. I find, 
for instance, no mention of infant baptism in the 
Bible. For that reason my conscience opposes it as 
a term of membership. I could not be a member 
of your church without sanctioning that dogma as 



OK THE POWER OE CHRISTIAN UNION. S3 

taught in the Eible. If after all your efforts to 
prove it scriptural, you fail, in the estimation of 
any converted person, the principle is schismatic. 
It should not be made a feature of church organiz- 
ation. "Whatever objections I may have against it, 
if you can not satisfy me that it is scriptural, it 
would be religious tyranny to require me to submit 
to its incorporation in a church creed. I may ob- 
ject that it is not commanded, or, as in the case of 
infant baptism, that it tends to subvert believers' 
baptism altogether, and will, if ever carried out, de- 
stroy the distinction between the church and the 
world, by bringing all into the church without con- 
version." 

Mr. S. " I have thought it a wise arrangement of 
Providence that there are so many different churches. 
Each one can please his own taste in joining which 
he prefers. And then they incite each other to 
purity and good works." 

J. " That is a strange remark to come from one 
who believes the Bible. For that abounds with 
positive and implied injunctions to preserve the 
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace ; and with 
cautions 'that there be no schism in the body of 
Christ.' Such a sentiment seems to breathe in 
startling and awful contrast with our Savior's last 
petition 'that we all may be one, that the world may 
believe on him.' Were not the subject too awfully 
solemn, I should again suspect you for jesting. Do, 
sir, revoke that sentiment, or I can not think you 
acknowledge the Bible to be God's book. To me it 
would not be a more glaring manifestation of infi- 
delity and rebellion against God and tho Bible, if one 



34 the infidel's confession, 

should rejoice that there are so many thieves, liars, 
murderers, or blasphemers. Indeed I am not aware 
that these vices are any where in the Bible assigned 
as causes of the world's continued infidelity, while 
schism in Christianity is specified as an evil which 
must cease, that the world may believe on Christ." 

Mr. S. ' : To be frank, I had not looked at the sub- 
ject before as now; but you can not surely think it 
possible, however desirable, that all Christians can 
be united in one church ? The Bible does predict 
i that the watchmen shall all see eye to eye and 
speak the same thing,' but it surely can not be real- 
ized in our day, and it would be folly for you to 
hope for it. Your individual position, or action, 
would not materially affect the case." 

J. " True ; an individual can do but little; but I 
am individually responsible to God for my conduct 
in the matter, and am unwilling to make still worse 
the evils of schism already deplorable, by joining 
myself to a religious faction, whose principles must 
forever debar from membership some of God's peo- 
ple. Much as I deplore the want of church privi- 
leges and sympathies, I must search a little longer 
for the Scripture basis of Christian union, and for 
its counterpart in the world — a Gospel Church. I 
think I have found the basis, but for fear of mistake, 
I will withhold my conclusion for more satisfactory 
confirmation. When I become convinced beyond a 
doubt as to what are the features of a Bible church, 
I will continue to inquire for the church itself until 
I find it. For I know it exists somewhere in the 
world, and ever has since its establishment. Christ 
said 'the gates of hell shall never prevail against 



OE THE POWER OP CHRISTIAN UNION. 35 

it.' Will you not assist me in looking for those 
features? " 

Mr. S. "I feel quite satisfied with our church. 
People can get to heaven as well in one church as 
in another." 

J. {; Pardon me for saying it is not my sole object 
to get to heaven. From the time when I was led 
to the knowledge of the truth, I have had no hope 
of even aiding in my salvation. If I am saved, 
Christ will save me by his mercy and merit. But 1 
love him, and am very anxious to do, in all things 
as he commands. In the desire of perfect obedience 
I find my most cheering evidences of a gracious 
state, and, in obedience itself, my most solid and 
enduring pleasures. My soul delights in the knowl- 
edge of every method by which its devotion to 
Christ may be acceptably expressed. If I never find 
the church, I humbly trust I shall get to heaven, 
but this confidence has no foundation in a willing- 
ness to join any thing for Christ's church which 
bears not its features." 

Mr. S. " Don't you think your wife was a Chris- 
tian and went to heaven from our church? Oh! if 
I can only die as she did, I shall never fear." 

J. " If I can only live as she did, according to the 
best instruction in duty that I can get, I too shall 
not fear." 

Mr. S. felt that he was foiled in the object of his 
call, and was in no very good humor. Arising to 
leave, said he : "But I am interrupting your studies. 
When you have demonstrated your basis, I will call 
again." 

As he was making for the door, the Judge kindly 



36 the infidel's confession, 

invited him not to leave until he had led them in a 
season of prayer. He offered a few soulless peti- 
tions, and, as he pronounced the Amen, the voice 
of the Judge trembling with emotion, continued to 
pour forth the most ardent prayer that God would 
remove schisms from among his people and make 
them one. They parted. 



OE THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 37 



CHAPTER III.— Liberality. 

Most men have their intimates. Judge Rolen's 
most valued friend and most influential adviser, had 
been, for many years, the only brother of Mrs. Rolen, 
whom our tears have embalmed as an early victim 
of disease and death. After her death, her brother, 
Mr. Todd, a fine scholar and polished gentleman, 
who had long enjoyed the confidence of the village 
as the principal of its high school, and was now, 
though past fifty, active and buoyant as a boy, 
seemed to fall £eir to a large proportion of the affec- 
tion from which its object had been removed in the 
death of Mrs. Rolen. To him the Judge related the 
principal incidents of the interview between himself 
and Mr. Sellers. Mr. Todd was also a Presbyterian, 
and having learned that the Judge had made an 
effort and a failure to stir up the Judge to his duty, 
resolved to try his influence; for he felt no little 
interest in having the Judge to unite with his 
church. He avoided introducing those points on 
which Mr. Sellers had found his mind so fully made 
up, and confined himself chiefly to the supposed im- 
possibility of a general union of Christians. 

"I understand," said he, "that you are delaying 
to join the Church until, by so doing, you can join 
all God's people at once. You must have great faith 
to believe that possible. I know the prophets fore- 
tell the glorious time ' when the watchmen shall all 
see eye to eye, and speak the same thing,' but I 



38 THE INFIDEL S CONFESSION. 

have no idea it will be in our day. I suppose it 
is reserved for the millennial day/' 

J. "You might rather say it will make the millen- 
nium. But do you not sometimes pray for that 
time? I think I have several times heard you, in 
opening the Sabbath School, pray God to hasten it, 
and you seemed to grow warm with the petition. 
Now what is not of faith is sin. You surely do not 
introduce matter into your prayers, only to make 
out their length and beauty, while you do not even 
hope to realize what you ask? To do so is certainly 
to sin very solemnly. As to joining all the people 
of God at once, I know that is impossible. But I 
am unwilling even to aid in perpetuating the evils 
of disunion among Christians. Nothing in the his- 
tory and prospects of Christianity rests so like a 
blight on its power to convert the world, as the divi- 
sion of believers into sects. Now what I desire and 
expect, when I become a church member, is, to oc- 
cupy that platform on which all God's people can 
stand without sacrifice of conscience, or of principle. 
Then if they do not unite with me, the fault will 
not be mine. If I join a ochism, or sect, holding 
terms of membership or communion, opposed to 
God's Word, or even not enjoiied by it, from which 
the consciences of some Christians are compelled to 
revolt, I, as an individual, endorse and become re- 
sponsible for all the evils of divisions among Chris- 
tians. Knowing, as every Bible reader must, that 
God suspends the world's conversion on the union 
of his people, I dare not aid to the full extent of my 
power, and that knowingly, by joining a sect, to de- 
stroy all the souls that schisms are daily destroying, 



OR THE POWER OP CHRISTIAN UNION. 39 

and must continue to destroy year by year so long 
as schisms exist." 

Mr. Todd. " Dear sir, you certainly forget that 
God's people are now united in that which is of all 
things most essential — love to God, and love to each, 
other. I do not suppose the Bible means to forbid 
the existence of different denominations, but only 
that they should fall out and quarrel with each 
other, and more especially, that members of the 
same church should do so. Such evils are indeed 
deplorable." 

J. "You are bound to admit that the world is not 
converted, and that God suspends its conversion 
upon the union of his people; 'that they all may 
be one,' prayed our Savior, 'as thou, Father, art in 
me, and I in thee, that the world may believe that thou 
hast sent me.' This plainly means that converts can 
not be extensively multiplied by the preaching of 
the Gospel where Christians are divided, and that 
where they are united, sinners will not reject the 
Gospel. ISTow they do reject it very generally; you 
must admit either that the union required does not 
exist, or that Christ w^as mistaken when he prayed 
for it l that the world might believe on him.' " 

Mr. T. " Other hindrances may delay the world's 
conversion — the avarice, inactivity and prayerless- 
ness of God's people. I think you will admit that 
these are great hindrances, and if so, all can not be 
referred to the disunion of Christians." 

J. " But you should remember that all these evils 
have an origin or cause, and since you can not show 
that that cause would not be removed by the union 
of Christians, you have no" right to contend that 



40 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

schisms in religion do not delay the world's conver- 
sion. Physical phenomena generally declare their 
causes with far greater certainty than moral sequen- 
ces do theirs. Philosophy would forever fail to 
trace the origin of human depravity with all its woe 
to the eating of an apple. If a forest is prostrated, 
we naturally and correctly infer that a tempest has 
swept over it. But while thousands are swallowed 
up in the vortex of those moral evils which you 
name and classify, yet God only can expound the 
origin of those evils, and the causes of their pepetu- 
ity ; and hence he only can prescribe for their re- 
moval. In the passage quoted I say he has central- 
ized them all in the disunion of his people, making 
that the generic, while they are only the specifics ; 
the parent stem of which they are only the rami- 
fications. Now do you not detect the unsoundness 
of your objection, that the world's conversion is 
hindered by other things as much as by the disunion 
of Christians." 

Mr. T. "I confess that my reasoning was unsound. 
I begin to fear that you will presently make me 
doubt everything I have hitherto believed." 

J. "Another thing you might note, which is, that 
if you could justify your reasoning, your objection 
would lie not against my reasoning, but against a 
plain declaration of God's Word." 

Mr. T. "I must then admit that the dilemma 3-011 
are contending for is a fair one, and as I can not 
admit my Savior mistaken, I am forced to confess 
that the union required is still wanting. And, sir, 
it is to me an alarming truth. I begin to suspect 
myself responsible. Btft you surely do not believe 



Oil THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 41 

the union can be effected by merging all the Chris- 
tians into one bocty?" That looks, indeed, like a 
hopeless consummation." 

J. u And yet I can not conceive its existence pos- 
sible in any other way. Sects necessarity involve 
antagonisms. You must think your sect right. One 
opposed to it you must consider wrong in every op- 
posing feature. With that you can not heartily 
sympathize and cooperate. To do it hypocritically 
is as great a sin as to pray for what you do not be- 
lieve God will confer. It could not be blessed. It 
was, no doubt, for this reason that so few Method- 
ists and Episcopalians became interested in the 
memorable meetings held here two or three years 
ago by Dr. Stewart. You remember how they stood 
back." 

Mr. T. " Yes ; but that was sectarian feeling. 
They were afraid some of their relatives, or some 
persons, who might else remain under their influ- 
ence, would, if converted, join our church. I hate 
to impugn their motives, but really I can ascribe it 
to no better." 

J. "Precisely; charity itself can conceive of no 
motive more noble. They believed your sect wrong 
and were unwilling their friends should join you. 
I venture the prediction now, that the Presbyterians 
and Episcopalians will treat, in the same way, the 
meeting to be held in a few days by the Methodists. 
You call it an evil, and say it ought not to exist, but 
it is one that grows out of schisms, as an unavoida- 
ble consequence. To correct it, you must destroy 
the schisms. As well might you dry up a stream 
flowing from a full fountain, as arrest and cure 
4 



42 THE infidel's confession, 

these evils without removing their cause. Ardent 
cooperation between opposing sects is always prompted 
by the worst of motives — a willingness to purchase good 
will by the sacrifice of principle" 

Mr. T. "Your reasons seem clear. I only wonder 
I had not thought of them before. I think I feel 
willing to do any thing in my power to correct evils 
so enormous. But what can I do? Is not the plat- 
form of the Presbyterian church as scriptural, as 
catholic, and as unobjectionable as any can be? 
Could any one's conscience be seriously hurt by 
joining it? None, surely none is more noble in 
doctrine, or in benevolent effort, or in devotion to 
general intelligence. I glory in almost ail its 
features." 

J. " To be frank, I must agree with you that I 
know of none less liable to objections ; and yet to 
join it would injure my conscience in several impor- 
tant particulars. The view I gather from the New 
Testament as to the character of Christ's church, is, 
that it is a local, independent, congregational organi- 
zation, composed of voluntary members, baptized 
upon a profession of their own faith. From all these 
features the Presbyterian church seems to differ. I 
also learn from history that John Calvin, about three 
hundred years ago, laid down the basis of Presbyte- 
rian church government, and that the structure did 
not reach its present state of organization until sixty 
or seventy years ago, when the General Assembly 
was established. From this last mentioned fact 
alone, it is evident that Presbyterian ism can not bo 
the church which our Savior established more than 
eighteen hundred years ago: and hence I could not 



Oil THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 43 

join it with the hope that all Christians would con* 
cur in selecting it for the church of Christ." 

Mr. T. " Your objections against our church are 
entitled to a candid examination, and if you please, 
we will consider them in detail. I hope to remove 
them. I would first have you define what you mean 
by a congregational, independent church." 

J. " One which recognizes no ecclesiastical power 
superior to its own, but claims and exercises within 
itself all the power vested in a church, of receiving 
and expelling members, appointing and deposing 
ministers ; and in a word, one from w hose decision, 
in any case of church jurisdiction, there is no appeal. 
Your church differs from this in the fact that it is 
governed by 'Ruling Elders/ and seeks the unity 
and cooperation of its members by the authority of 
supreme 'courts of review and control/ I under- 
stand that your church does not independently cre- 
ate its own ministry, and that from its decision any 
member has the right of appeal to a higher power. 
The New Testament churches seem to have resolved 
on all their acts by vote of the whole membership. 
The church and the ministers seem to have acted 
conjointly in ordaining ministers and deacons/' 

Mr. T. u On this point I have bestowed some 
thought heretofore, and while I agree with you that 
our church differs slightly from the New Testament 
order, I do not concede that we are wrong. I con- 
sider the form of government a matter of indiffer- 
ence, and that our form has some advantages over 
any other. Dr. Mosheim gives as a reason for the 
incompleteness of the church organization in apos- 
tolic times, that we would naturally add the needed 



44 the infidel's confession, 

ordinances, and while I do not believe with hint 
that we should be justifiable in adding or abolishing 
an ordinance, yet I do agree with the notion of John 
Calvin, that we have a right to use the ordinances 
changed somewhat only in their outward form ; and 
hence I believe it not wrong that our organization 
differs somewhat from that laid down in the Scrip- 
tures." 

J. " You admit, then, that you could not appro- 
priate the apostle's benediction for 'keeping the 
ordinances as they were delivered unto you, 1 and for 
that reason, all Christians could not fellowship }~ou. 
I don't wish to show that none can. In that case 
you could refute me by saying you do. Now will you 
not concede what I claim without further argu- 
ment?" 

Mr. T. 'Olost certainly. I will go further, and 
admit that for us to require your conscience to sub- 
mit to our church government exactly as it is, would 
be to require what the New Testament does not; and 
since I admit it to be a matter of indifference, and 
you and others do not, I am in favor of correcting 
the error. Now how can this be done?" 

J. " Your question develops more clearly than I 
could do, the force of another objection I have 
against your form of government, that, not being 
independent, you can correct no error that it may 
involve. To alter one of its features, you must con- 
vince of the error not only your own congregation, 
but your whole Presbytery, your Synod, and your 
General Assembty. You have no remedy but to 
effect that mighty work, or to renounce Presbj'teri- 
anism itself. I defy you to show any thing else pos. 






OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 45 

sible in the case. Were jour government congrega- 
tional, the evil might be reached; bat now I think it 
can not." 

Mr T. "I confess the difficulty. It seems, as you 
say, impossible to reform an error in our church. 
But as I had not thought of this before, you must 
not insist upon my taking immediately the other 
horn of your dilemma and leaving the church. I 
should have to think a long time before taking that 
step. You made an allusion to the late date of our 
origin as a church. Tell me, in candor, do you allege 
that as an objection against Presbyterianism?" 

J. Indeed I do. Of itself it is enough to vitiate 
its claim to be the church of Christ; for his church 
was organized in the apostles' days, and, though I 
know not which or where it is, it must have existed 
ever since; for he said, 'The gates of hell shall not 
prevail against it.' " 

Mr. T. u We do not claim to be the church of 
Christ, but only one of its branches." 

J. "The Bible speaks nothing of its branches. 
The branches of a court would be an idea as intel- 
ligible as the branches of a church. If the church 
has branches, the whole church must be bound by 
the acts of each branch, and there must be harmony, 
or the branches will all be broken off. Because of 
this want of harmony in actions, the different 
churches are all separated from each other. Epis- 
copacy, Presbyter ianism, and Lutheranism were all 
expelled from Eomanism, and their founders anathe- 
matized as heretics; were they not? and was not 
Methodism .cut off from Episcopacy because of its 
supposed heresy in faith and practice? It must be 



46 the infidel's confession, 

a singular tree whose branches are so numerous and 
so dissimilar. My dear sir, you will have to aban- 
don this branch notion." 

Mr. T. "Not so fast; for while these churches ex- 
ternally differ, they may be one in heart. Indeed 
they must be, in the sense our Savior's prayer re- 
quired, unless you will take the strange position that 
his prayer for this oneness has not been answered." 

J. "It would be no more strange than if I should 
take the position that his prayer for their sanctifi- 
cation or for their glorification has not been an- 
swered; do you think it would?" 

Jlr. T. ' ; Well, no ; I suppose not," 

J. " Then I will take the position that they may 
not be one even in heart: 'Out of the heart are the 
issues of life/ If their hearts were one, their acts 
would be. I trust you will give up this branch ar- 
gument. It is not creditable to your intellect or to 
your cause."' 

Mr. T. "Well, sir, if it had been original with me, 
I suppose I should myself have detected its defects; 
but I confess I took .it as I found it. I now have 
very little reason to believe a faulty organization 
can be the church of Christ, and hold myself ready 
to join you when you find one entirely faultless. 
But I should like your sanction to the proposition 
that if you do not find it in a reasonable length of 
time, you will join us." 

J. '-Were it a matter of mere courtesy involved, I 
should be very happy to reciprocate the compli- 
ment; but ever since I gave up my infidelity, it has 
been a maxim with me to act in religion only from 
a sense of duty. To join for the church of Christ 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 47 

-what I clearly conceive to be no such thing, only for 
the sake of a friend, would be a great deviation from 
that principle." 

Mr. T. " Tou are quite right; and if I had duly 
weighed the moral of my proposal, I should not have 
made it. As I shall be uneasy henceforward until 
you find and identify the church, what would you 
advise me to do?" 

J. "Why, sir, you are as much bound to look for 
that church as I am. I would advise you to lose no 
time in delay." 

Mr. T. " But the whole thing is new to me. I 
don't know how to look, nor where. What progress 
have you made ? What principle of search shall we 
adopt? As you have studied the subject a good deal, 
you have no doubt matured it to some extent." 

J. u I am not yet fully decided as to my own duty. 
That Christ's church somewhere in the world exists, 
I doubt not, because he established it, and said ' the 
gates of hell shall not prevail against it.' I think 
the act of establishing it, was to lay down the laws 
for its government, and to appoint its officers. I 
have already told you what I suppose to be a 
church. Its officers I think are preachers and dea- 
cons. The preachers are to display the laws of 
Christ's commonwealth or kingdom, as aided by the 
whole church located in any place — they preach the 
Gospel and administer Baptism to believers, ,and the 
Supper to the churches. The deacons seem to have 
care of the temporalities of the churches. These, as 
well as the ministers, are appointed by election in 
their own churches. The point of difficulty with 
me is how to become a qualified church member. 



48 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

Mr. Sellers has agreed to immerse me; but I know 
not whether his act would be valid, as he has never 
been immersed, and is not himself a church member, 
and does not even believe in immersion. I fear 
such an act in him would be a damning sin ; for I 
wish it done in the name of the Holy Godhead. 
Even if he believed in it, I should think his not 
being a member of a Gospel church, nor authorized 
to administer it, would render the act invalid. For 
except the Apostles, who were put into the ministry 
by direct appointment of Christ, in person, we read 
of" no Xew Testament ministry, but those set apart 
by Gospel churches. Their call and ordination seem 
a sufficient guarantee that they act by divine ap- 
pointment, when such call is extended by a Gospel 
church. I have not decided, but have thought best 
to convince some Christian, that the portraiture of 
a church I have briefly drawn for you is Scriptural, 
and then get him to immerse me, and in turn, I 
would immerse him. We should then be a Gospel 
church except the doubtful character of our immer- 
sions. Before resorting to that suspected step, how- 
ever, I have determined to call as general a meeting 
as I can by an advertisement in the village paper, 
and, after giving a full exposition of my religious 
views, I will inquire if any present can tell of a 
church holding such sentiments. If information of 
such a church is obtained, I will go and join it; if 
not, I shall be driven to the expedient just men- 
tioned, of trying to get some one convinced to baptize 
me." 

Mr. T. "I am deeply interested in what you say, 
but I have been seriously revolving in mind whether 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 49 

1 could consent to be immersed. I have so seldom 
heard of it except from the Campbellites, that I have 
learned to associate it with the rottenness of their 
system. But I suppose it would not be right to 
neglect a scripture duty because they advocate its 
importance, and they have long since convinced me 
that, if mode is essential to the validity of baptism, 
immersion should be practiced. But I am far from 
agreeing that mode is at all essential." 



50 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 



CHAPTER TV.— Light 

The town of L had been for several days alive 

with excitement. The Methodists were protracting 
a meeting. A large number had given the hand as 
seekers, thus pledging themselves if ever they should 
become Christians, to join the Methodist church, and 
not a few had professed conversion. Preachers, class- 
leaders and members had had one season of rejoicing 
after another, until shouting had become quite com- 
mon. The order-loving Presbyterians were afraid 
there was more excitement than religious intelligence 
in the work, and for the most part stood aloof. The 
.Reformers deemed it pious to pass it off with ridicule. 
The Episcopalians treated it with dignified apathy. 

As the crowd dispersed on Saturday noon, after a 
very animated meeting, Mr. Todd, at the head of 
near forty school girls, was joined in his homeward 
walk by Mr. Sellers, who made use of his undoubted 
welcome by giving assurance that he was going to 
escort him and his girls home to dinner. "It is 
quite time you should/' rejoined Mr. Todd, with a 
hearty smile of welcome ; "for you have kept your- 
self quite aloof of late. I notice you have generally 
attended the meetings. Have you formed an opin- 
ion as to their probable influence?" Having quick- 
ened their pace, so as to be a few steps in advance 
of the girls, Mr. Sellers replied: " We have had some 
good preaching, and some great efforts to sustain 
what you and I consider dangerous error, as falling 
from grace, the reception of seekers, etc. Upon the 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 51 

whole, though I doubt not some good has been done, 
and many have been converted, I fear the meeting 
will do as much harm as good. Indeed, I can not 
say I have attended it from the best of motives. 
Your brother-in-law, the Judge, has the idea that we 
are a sectarian people, and sometime ago predicted 
that we would take no interest in the Methodist 
meeting. I hoped, if he could see his prediction 
fail, his prejudices would so far be overcome that he 
would yet join our church, instead of wasting a use- 
ful life in pursuit of something that I am persuaded 
does not exist. But I have not felt heartily prayer- 
ful for the success of the meeting, in the direction it 
has taken. I fear it will lead many to trust in unreal 
excitement, and leave others confirmed in infidelity/' 

" I heartily sympathize with your fears," said Mr. 
Todd, drawing a deep sigh. " I fear the main object 
is to get the whole community, both the converted 
and the unconverted, pledged to Methodism. I 
never knew a system, political or religious, to dis- 
play more demagoguery. It has a plea for every 
character, and can scarcely extend its prayers or 
efforts to those who will not join. Were you pre- 
sent the evening the minister gave in detail the 
reasons why persons desiring religion should join 
the church? " 

Mr. Sellers. "No; I was not present that evening, 
but I feel curious to hear them. I may think better 
of the practice, when I hear the reasons for it." 

Mr. T. " I doubt whether you will. i Mrst J 1 said 
he, ' we will take a deeper interest in you than now. 
We will consider you one of us, and pray for you more. 
We will take you to the class-meetings, and talk 



52 the infidel's confession. 

with you both publicly and privately. Secondly ', wo 
can give you a great many examples of persons who 
have succeeded in getting religion, either in, or im- 
mediately after, taking that solemn step. In the 
session of Conference, last year, one of the ministers 
proposed to inquire how many of the preachers then 
present had joined the church before conversion, and 
it was found that out of six hundred, more than two- 
thirds gave their testimony on this point/ These 
are substantially his reasons. Could any thing be 
better calculated to catch those who think superfi- 
cially? He took special pains to keep them posted 
as to one glorious privilege they would still have, 
viz. : that they could quit the church at the end of 
six months, if they did not like it. For my own 
part, I should not have attended the meetings with 
my boarders, if I had not taken occasion to caution 
them against the dangers of the system/' 

Mr. S. " You have rightly judged that I would 
like the practice no better for hearing the reasons 
for it. The English of those reasons is, ' if you will 
all be Methodists we will pray for you. If not, we 
have no sympathy for you/ " 

Mr. T. " You were speaking of the Judge ; has he 
given any encouragement to the hope that he will 
join our church?" 

" I have not spoken with him on the subject for 
several weeks," replied Mr. Sellers, as they entered 
the parlor, and were seated. "I thought best to 
leave him alone until his whims should be somewhat 
sobered down, and have heard no more of his pecu- 
liar notions since the conversation, of which I gave 
you an account about a month ago. You may re- 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 53 

member be thought be could find, somewbere in tbe 
• world, a church in which all G-od's people can unite. 
What a strange idea for a man of his sense ! " 

" I have been more of your opinion than I am at 
present, Mr. Sellers/' said he; "but let us discuss 
tbe matter a little. Tbe Judge is undoubtedly a sen- 
sible, honest and pious man ; and we seldom meet 
with a preacher who understands the Bible more 
than half so well. I have had a long conversation 
with him on this subject, and I think you would be 
surprised to hear the strength of his reasons. He 
has almost made a convert of me, and if we can not 
contrive to win him over, I fear he will Carry me 
with him/' 

"Carry you where?" said Mr. Sellers, as if too in- 
credulous to be astonished at the remark. " He will 
hardly carry any one until he finds a lighting place 
for himself, I guess." 

" His positions, Mr. Sellers, have won my serious 
respect, and I have been considering them about as 
long as it has been since you talked with the Judge." 

"Are you serious?" asked Mr. Sellers, somewhat 
surprised. 

"Indeed I am," replied Mr. Todd, with the calm- 
ness of settled determination. 

" I had thought you a man of more reliable firm- 
ness," said Mr. S., growing somewhat more surprised, 
but still thinking a few taunts would reclaim him. 

"I respectfully decline tbe honor of being firm in 
manifest error/' said Mr. T. "I hope you don't 
think me so." 

Mr. S. " No, by no means ; but you do not serious- 
ly concede that you are wrong, do you?" 



54 



THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 



Mr. T. " If we can not convince the Judge we are 
right, I shall think so." 

Mr. 8. "Why, you surprise me. Do you think 
the Judge infallible?" 

Mr. T. "Not at all ; but I believe him a Christian, 
and that no Christian can have insuperable objec- 
tions against joining God's church. God requires all 
Christians to live in his church ; and if after the most 
faithful and earnest efforts to convince him that our 
church has the divine organization, and the ordi- 
nances enjoined in the New Testament; or if when 
convinced, he refuses to submit, I shall either be 
forced to doubt his piety, or the scripturality of our 
church. I do not believe it possible for one to be 
reconciled to God, and yet to have an irreconcilable 
aversion to his church. If ours is his church, we 
surely can prove it to every Christian who inquires 
for the evidences of that fact." 

Mr. S. " Have you said any thing to him which 
may vitiate our effort to convince him ? " 

Mr. T. " I have been forced to concede that our 
church government is not strictly scriptural, and 
that the Bible says nothing about infant member- 
ship. On these two points you will have to convince 
me, and when you succeed, I will cordially give you 
all the aid I can to convince him both in these and 
in other things. Till then I dare not plead for our 
church at all." 

"As to church government," said Mr. Sellers, 
"that is a matter of mere temporal policy, and not 
worth a serious argument any way. We can estab- 
lish such as we please. God has not told us what 
particular form to adopt. The system we have is 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. DO 

the result of niuch wisdom ; and experience shows it 
well adapted to the efficiency, unity, and purity of 
the church. Any form being generally adopted, a 
change should be avoided as the cause of much 
trouble and expense." 

"Has not told us what particular form to adopt?" 
said Mr. Todd, with apparent astonishment. " Your 
remark seems to me to deny the divine organization 
of the church. But you surely do not mean that?" 

" O, no ; I only mean that the externals of the 
church are left to our choice." 

"What do you mean by 'externals?' Do you 
mean the terms of membership and the origin of 
ordaining powers?" 

" No. They are prescribed in the Bible. If these 
were of human device, the church would indeed be 
a human organization. I only mean the form of 
government, as congregational, provincial, or na- 
tional." 

"I understand you. Your church is not congre- 
gational, because each congregation is not invested 
with all the ecclesiastical power your denomination 
claims and exercises. I consider it either provincial 
or national. You speak of it as * The Presbyterian 
church of the United States.' Now, sir, does not 
the New Testament clearly speak of the churches 
of Jerusalem, G-alatia, Ephesus, Thyatira, etc., as if 
they were independent or congregational? Were 
the New Testament church organization a provincial 
one, it would seem more natural and less calculated 
to mislead, if the Testament should speak of it as 
the church of Judea, the church of Asia Minor, the 
church of G-alatia, etc. Do you not think so?" 



56 the infidel's confession, 

"In candor, I do. But even admitting ours a 
provincial or national church, what is the valid ob- 
jection ? Does not our form secure the objects of a 
church as well as any other? " 

tl For argument's sake I will admit that it does ; 
and still my objection is a good one. In matters of 
mere human policy, you can not get all Christians 
to agree ; and if you can assign no higher motive to 
unity than mere expediency, you will have as great 
a variety of organization as of taste; but the taste 
of all Christians would yield to the known obliga- 
tion of a divine establishment. If therefore you 
could prove your form of government even better 
than that enjoined by example in the New Testa- 
ment — which modesty should forbid you try — it 
could not be universally adopted, and would prevent 
the general union of Christians. We can not prove 
to all Christians that the form of government is 
immaterial or indifferent. If they object to our fol- 
lowing the Bible too closely, the fault will not be 
ours ; but if they truthfully allege that our tenets 
are unscrijDtural, we are schismatics, if we do not 
renounce them, and adopt such as are scriptural. If 
only one feature of the kind be retained, it renders 
each member of the church holding it responsible 
for all evils of schism; do you not think so?" 

" Well, sir, I suppose I will have to agree with 
you." With this admission Mr. Sellers discovered 
great embarrassment. But he was talking to one 
of his own brethren, and was much relieved by that 
fact. 

"If so," replied Mr. Todd, "I need scarcely tell 
you that I can not conscientiously remain a mem- 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN - UNION. 57 

ber. If I do, I shall be responsible for all the evils 
of schism, and I deem them awful beyond the power 
of man to compute." 

Mr. S. "Well, if I had no other objection than 
that, I would never think of leaving a church. Do 
you think you can ever find another church so lit- 
tle liable to objection?" 

Mr. T. "You overlook my objection against In- 
fant membership." 

Mr. S. " Well, that is one of the dearest rites in 
our church, and I still hope you are really not skep- 
tical about that." 

" Indeed," said Mr. Todd, a I have thought as 
favorably of it as any member in our church, and 
have proved it by having my six children baptized. 
A happier day I never witnessed than that on which 
our first was consecrated to the church, unless that 
happiness has since been surpassed in similar acts 
of pious devotion to that sentiment of our denomin- 
ation. Two of those children, I trust, are now in 
heaven ; but still, if we can not prove the baptism 
of infants scriptural, we should not retain it. If we 
do, we shall be in favor of schism." 

"Well, do you not honestly believe it scriptural?" 

" I do not now, since I have seriously examined it. 
Nor could I now feel happy in submitting a child to 
be baptized. If, however, there is any scripture for 
the practice, it will immediately, on being adduced, 
remove my objection and reconcile me to the doc- 
trine. For I confess I love the practice, and can see 
no wrong in it except so far as not being proved 
scriptural it will constitute a barrier to the union of 



58 



THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 



Christians. Judge Eolen has routed me from all 
the arguments I have ever relied on to justify it." 

Mr. S. " Did not baptism come in place of cir- 
cumcision?" 

Mr. T. " I once thought so, but do not now. Cir- 
cumcision has never given place to any thing. God 
said it should be to the Jews <a perpetual rite 
throughout all their generations.' They still retain 
it. It is, and ever has been, their title to the land 
of Canaan. If baptism took its place, why should 
believing thousands of the Jews whose males had all 
been circumcised, have been required, on the day of 
Pentecost, to be baptized ? and why should Timothy, 
who had been baptized, be required to be circum- 
cised? And -how can you, by your mode of argu- 
ment, evince the title of infant females to baptism, 
or reject baptized infants from the Lord's Supper, 
which is the Christian Passover?" 

"Well," said Mr. S., in manifest impatience, "if 
you deny the succession of baptism to circumcision, 
I can not reason with you. This always has been 
our starting point, and when it is denied, I know 
not what to sa}-. I could trace the analogy between 
the Jewish and the Christian churches, as our authors 
on this subject have done to my satisfaction, but I 
see from what you have said, that you are fortified 
beyond the possibility of conviction, and I know not 
what to say." 

Mr. T. " Well, sir, I will tell you what will con- 
vince me ; just show me one Bible text in which it 
is said that circumcision should, or did, give place 
to baptism, and I pledge myself to give up my ob- 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 59 

jection ; and if I do n't do it, I will educate all your 
children without charge. Come, sir, is not that a 
fair proposal ? " 

Mr. S. ""We do not claim any scripture to prove 
directly that baptism came in the room of circum- 
cision. Wq draw our arguments from analogy. 
The inference is logically necessary. If infants 
were made members of the Jewish church by cir- 
cumcision, and baptism is the door into the Chris- 
tian Church, while the Bible says nothing to forbid 
the introduction of infants, it seems fairly inferable 
that infants must, by the same law, be received, 
through baptism, into the church now. Do you not 
think so?" 

Mr. T. " I have thought so ; but I have several 
objections to your inference, which I hope you will 
let me state in detail. They convince me not that 
infant baptism is wrong, for this I do not yet be- 
lieve, and never may ; but that the arguments on 
which our authors rely to prove it, are inconclusive. 
I hope you will remember that I am not opposing 
infant baptism itself, but on the supposition that it 
is right, I do not believe our mode of argument does 
the subject justice. I have brought to bear on Judge 
Rolen's mind all our published arguments, and with 
all the force I could, but he very easily turns every 
one of them against us. I wish to point out the 
deficiencies, and then if we can, we will remedy 
them." 

Mr. S. "Did I not fairly understand you as giving 
up infant baptism?" 

Mr. T. "To be frank, I did say so ; but it was 
with much reluctance, and while confused by a con- 



60 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION. 

viction of the absurdities proved and charged upon 
our arguments by the Judge. It is an after thought 
with me to try to remedy those defects and yet 
make out the proof of our doctrine. I am still in 
favor of proving it if possible, though it would place 
me in an awkward light before the Judge." 

Mr. S. u Indeed it would. To avow your belief 
of a truth, and then after giving all your reasons, 
and being forced to admit them no reasons at all, it 
would develop a strong suspicion of prejudice, or 
sinister motive, if you should again avow that be- 
lief. Still it would alter the case, if you should sus- 
tain your view by other arguments than those you 
had adduced. It would indeed prove your candor ; 
do you not think so ? " 

Mr. T. " You are right, and I am obliged for the 
suggestion. It would show that I am willing to 
yield to the force of truth, and I shall not be 
ashamed to resume my once surrendered position. 
We will then review our arguments, each of us with 
the same purpose, viz. : of detecting any deficiency 
they may involve, and of remedying the same." 

Mr. S. " In this I am happy to join you. Please 
state first those arguments which to you seem incon- 
clusive." 

Mr. T. " The succession of baptism to circumcision 
seems to me without proof, and our opponents think 
us unfair in asking them first to admit this inference 
without any direct proof, and then to admit the other 
inference drawn from the supposed validity of this, 
that if baptism came in place of circumcision, infants 
are to be baptized." 

Mr. B. " I see. They deem it unfair to deduce one 



OR THE POWER OP CHRISTIAN UNION. 61 

inference from another ; and in that they are cer- 
tainly correct. It is then a question of fact : Do we 
infer this succession, or do we prove it?" 

Mr. T. u Precisely ; we are challenged to prove it 
by a scripture text, and I know of no such text. Our 
authors profess to give uone. The inference, thus 
unsustained by Scripture, is opposed by the facts, as 
before remarked, that circumcision among the Jews 
never has ceased, nor given place to any thing else — 
that the circumcised, our Savior himself, and the con- 
verted thousands in Judea, were all required, both 
men and women, to be baptized — that Timothy, 
whose mother was a Jewess, was required by Paul to 
be circumcised even after baptism — that Titus, who 
was a Gentile, was positively and obstinately pre- 
vented by Paul from being circumcised. It is con- 
tended that, if baptism took the place of circum- 
cision, both should never have been administered to 
the same subject. Here, then, is a flaw in our argu- 
ment, which I know not how to mend. Do you?" 

Mr. Sellers, after pausing for several moments and 
walking to the table for a drink of water, replied : 
" That is quite a serious flaw indeed. I had not 
noticed it before. I see no way to remedy it. All 
logicians are required to start from an established 
proposition, or from a self-evident truth. If they do 
not, they produce nothing but sophistry. But, as 
you say, we are wont to ask our opponents to grant 
our fundamental proposition, which is the very 
thing they deny. All the arguments drawn from it 
must be pointless and inconclusive, unless we first 
establish it by Scripture. This, I concede, never has 
been done, so far as I am informed." 



62 the infidel's confession, 

Mr. T. " That you may have the whole matter be- 
fore you, I will remark further, that if we succeed 
in establishing by Scripture our starting point, still 
our inference, in regard to infant membership, will 
prove tortured or illegitimate. If baptism does sup- 
plant circumcision, then it follows, First, that males 
only are to be baptized. Secondly, that all the males, 
bond or free, in every family, whose head is a mem- 
ber of the church, will have to be baptized, whether 
born in the family or bought with money. Thirdly, 
all the baptized must be considered qualified commu- 
nicants, because all the circumcised were required to 
partake of the Jewish Passover. Now we baptize 
only the white children of believing parents, and of 
both sexes, and deny the right even of these to come 
to the Lord's table before they voluntarily profess 
their own faith in Christ. In mending the defi- 
ciency in our argument, we must have regard to this 
point also. Our arguments from household bap- 
tisms I find equally inconclusive. In every instance 
you will find some incidental testimony that all the 
members of those households were believers. The 
jailer's family 'rejoiced believing in God.' Into Ly- 
dia's house the apostles entered, ' and when they had 
seen the brethren, they comforted them and depart- 
ed.' The household of Cornelius all received the 
Holy Spirit before they were baptized. They of 
Stephanus ' addicted themselves to the ministry of 
the saints.' So that this source of proof also needs 
to be carefully examined." 

Mr. S. " It w T ould, as you suggest, be needless to 
labor these points until our premises are established. 
But I declare I do not like to examine this subject, 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 63 

and would rather leave it to wiser heads and abler 
hands. I can not trust my own conclusions when 
they oppose the views of so many wise, learned, and 
pious men as may be supposed to have made and 
defended our confession of faith. Let us drop the 
subject." 

Mr. T. " You can do as you please, but being indi- 
vidually responsible to G-od for what I believe and 
profess, I am resolved to base my faith and practice 
in nothing but his known will. My eyes were lately 
opened to the awful truth that for me to belong to 
a schismatic church, or one holding just one term of 
membership and communion, which any Christian is 
compelled, after a most honest and faithful examina- 
tion of God's word, to reject as unscriptural, would 
be for me to hold myself responsible for all the crush- 
ing evils of disunion among Christians; and this I 
can not do. I would rather belong to no church 
than to one holding a schismatic principle." 

Mr. S. " What do you mean by a church holding 
a principle?" 

Mr. T. "A term of church organization is a church 
principle. A private principle is not a term of com- 
munion. The perseverance of believers is, with us, 
a church principle. If one would join us before he 
has Eible knowledge enough to believe that, he has 
either to belie his soul by declaring his belief of it, 
or refuse to Join us. For it is in the book which 
professes to declare the faith of all the members. 
An evil of making this a church principle is, that its 
unbeliever is forced to join a church where he is 
pledged and bound, by an opposite church principle, 
never to believe it : and hence all his researches on 



G4 the infidel's confession, 

the point are to disprove it. Here is the origin of 
the fierce antagonisms in which schisms are so fruit- 
ful. They result from the canonization of our views 
as church principles. The view just mentioned 
would be a private sentiment, if it were not a part 
of the church constitution." 

" From this, I suppose you are a sort of Campbel- 
lite, and oppose all creeds," said Mr. S., with a man- 
ner which declared him rather indifferent as to the 
influence of his remark ; for he was at the end of his 
strength, and his opponent fresh and vigorous as 
when they commenced. 

" I am not so much opposed to a creed itself, as to 
a schismatic creed," said Mr. Todd. "I know none 
more truly schismatic than the Campbellites, though 
they abjure all creeds. I should think it eminently 
schismatic to have no creed. I want a creed which 
all evangelical denominations will j>ronounce sound 
in all its features; one whose mode, subject, and de- 
sign of baptism, whose government and communi- 
cant shall all be acknowledged scriptural by every 
candid Christian Bible reader. Having such, I am 
sure I should not be a schismatic; nor should I be 
ashamed of any name which might be applied 
to me." 

" Where did you get all these new-fangled notions 
any how?" asked Mr. Sellers, as if awaking out of 
a listless stupor, and determined to give his oppo- 
nent a polite hearing ; "a strange spell has come 
over you." 

" They were forced upon my consideration by 
Judge Eolen," said Mr. T., as if conscious that he 
ought to have perceived them without a suggestion. 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 65 

" The more I think on them the clearer becomes the 
sense of duty to do all I can to heal the schisms in 
the body of Christ." 

" I suppose, then, you have made up your mind 
to leave us and become a close communionist," re- 
joined Mr. Sellers, with a sneer of indignation, as 
they were invited to dinner. Mr. Sellers was seated 
near Mrs. Todd, who, after the usual compliments, 
commenced in a suppressed voice : "You look as if 
you had heard some bad news, Mr. Sellers. They've 
all got into a very strange way here in the last two 
weeks, but I want you to know I am not moved. 
I'll stand by you, if the last one of them forsakes 
you. Have you seen this week's Morning Star, con- 
taining Judge Rolen's advertisement?" 

"I have not heard of it. What is it?" asked he 
with concern. 

"John, my son, turn to it, and read it while the 
boarders are collecting." 

" TO THE CHRISTIAN PUBLIC. 

" The writer has been, for many years, a wicked 
and confirmed Infidel. Nearly three years ago, the 
Author of all mercy was pleased to subdue my proud 
speculations by the sudden and painful removal of 
my amiable and pious companion. I became, from 
that time, a man of prayer. God has blessed me 
with a hope in Christ, and I have ever since desired 
to become a church member. Deeming it a matter of 
great importance for every Christian to join the true 
church of Christ; and fully convinced by his many 
expressed and implied requisitions for all his people 
to be one, that he has authorized but one church or- 



THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

ganiaation ; and believing the Bible to teach that the 
world's conversion is suspended on the union of 
Christians, I have spent nearly three years in study- 
ing only the Bible, to learn what the church is, and 
how to b member. These things are now 

dear in the light of the Bible. I believe Christ's 
church exists Bomewhere in the world, because he 
established it. and Baid -the gates of hell shall not 
prevail against it.' But I am unable to recognize 
it- features in any religious society with which I am 
acquainted. I therefore name the first Thursday in 
next month (October), bring just three years from 
the day I became hopeful of God's mercy, and re- 
quest a convention of God's people to be held in the 
ting-house of this place, commencing 
at 10 o'clock A. ML and holding from day to day, 
until we can define and agree upon the Scripture 
t a church, and form one in this commun- 
ity. To the lovers of Jesus this proclamation is 
humbly made in the name of Him who prayed 'that 
we all may be one as himself and his Father, that 
the world may believe.' I will address the audience 
before we go into business. 

ptember 3. Alfred Eolen." 

The blessing was asked, the meal disj^atched in 
silence and haste, and Mr. Todd and Mr. Sellers be- 
in u* again seated in the parlor, resumed their conver- 
sation as follows : 

Mr. Todd. ' : I should like to know what you meant 
by saying you supposed I was ready to become a 
close communionist. I have ever had the greatest 
horror of being one. I never will be, and know it 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 67 

at the same time. The sin of restricting Christian 
communion is, in my opinion, if not unpardonable, 
most injurious to the cause of Christ. If I leave 
the Presbyterians, I never can join a church until 
after the fullest assurance of its freedom from that 
error. Do m}* principles seem to tend that way? 
and how? 11 

Mr. S. " You seemed rather inclined to the prin- 
ciples of the strict Baptists, and I began to fear you 
might, in your great zeal, become one. If you go on 
as you seem disposed, I still expect it." 

Mr. T. "Far from that, I assure you. I was 
raised near one of their churches. They thought 
no one good enough to meet them at the Lord's 
table but their own members, and would never com- 
mune with others. I despised that feature in them, 
though they were good people." 

Mr. S. " When you were talking about not fellow- 
shiping our church government, and mode, and 
subject of baptism, it sounded to me a good deal 
like them." 

Mr. T. " You do me some injustice in saying 7 
refused to fellowship our subject, and mode; I said 
nothing about mode, and only said though I was 
partial to infant baptism, I was unwilling to have it 
enforced without a Eible warrant, so as to hurt the 
consciences of those who could not fellowship it. 1 
believe the Baptists are almost as close-communion 
as we are." 

Mr. S. " As we are ! What do you mean?" 

Mr. T. u I mean to say that in the strict sense of 
the word, our church is close in communion." 

Mr. S. " O, I know we do n't commune with our 



68 the infidel's confession, 

infant members ; but that sophism has been exposed 
too often to be alleged by one of your intelligence." 

Mr. T. " Persons of greater intelligence than I, 
and equal honesty, are still of opinion it is no 
'sophism;' but that is not what I mean. I mean 
that our communion table is circumvented by bar- 
riers insuperable to the conscientious approach of 
thousands of God's people. They can not come 
without murder to their consciences. The whole de- 
nomination of Baptists, except a few, who would 
sell principle and conscience for popularity, are, by 
their professedly candid sentiment, compelled to dis- 
fellowship our mode, subject and design of baptism, 
as well as our government. Now, if their objections 
against either of these are valid, we are close in our 
communion, so long as we retain it as a church 
principle." 

Mr. S. " Do n't yon think that speech shows a ten- 
der regard for the strict Baptists? Indeed I think 
you will yet join them. But that by the way — we 
do n't ask them to fellowship our church, nor our 
constitution, nor any principle we hold. We only 
ask an expression of that fellowship which they pro- 
fess for us as the children of the same Heavenly 
Father. It is stubbornness that they refuse." 

Mr. T. "In frankness, I do think better of the 
Baptists since I have discovered some of our own 
faults, and if we could see our own faults generally, 
we should love our neighbors better; but I was only 
speaking of the Baptists for an illustration. We 
may not ask them to indorse our church ; but as 
the Lord's Supper is a church ordinance, they con- 
scientiously feel that, in partaking with us, they 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 69 

would, in effect, publicly pronounce us a church. 
But they regard us a schism; and so now do I. In 
this they reason exactly as you did a few weeks ago 
with Mr. Poore, to show him that Christians could 
not attend dances without, in effect, endorsing them. 
If they commune with us, they certainly bid us (4od 
speed, and in effect, indorse our schismatic princi- 
ples. It is not very charitable to call it stubborn- 
ness." 

Mr. S. " I have no better name for it. Do we not 
acknowledge them a church ? If they had charity 
as a grain of mustard seed, they might return the 
courtesy." 

Mr. T. " We may not be influenced so much by 
charity as by veracity in this. Could any imagina- 
ble amount of charity induce you to pronounce your 
neighbor honest, if you knew him to be a thief? 
The reason we acknowledge them a church is be- 
cause we know their mode, subject and design of 
baptism, and their communicant, and church gov- 
ernment are all valid. They can not truthfully say 
so much of ours. We act on the same principle. 
The Quakers reject baptism, and we refuse to com- 
mune with them, and to invite them to commune 
with us, because we can not endorse that feature in 
their church. Eeflection makes me more and more 
incline to the Baptists." 

Mr. S. "I have known some of our ministers 
and members to say they would commune with the 
Quakers." 

Mr. T. " Only for an argument against the Bap- 
tists — an act too wicked for you or me, and you 
should not seek the influence of such a profession, 



70 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

even if it helped to defend the truth and the right. 
The cause that has to be sustained by arguments 
' drawn from a wicked practice is to be suspected — ■ 
perhaps I should say, abandoned." 

Mr. S. " I confess the wrong, and, as forced to do, 
admit your argument, that we act on the same prin- 
ciple with the Baptists. For the first time in my 
life, I see that the Baptists are, in the strict sense of 
the word, open communionists, and we are not. I 
see also that some churches are nearer open com- 
munionists than others. Those which have the 
greatest number of schismatic church principles are 
the most restricted. How strange I had not noticed 
this before ! We have four schismatic principles — 
Infant membership, the design of baptism to infants, 
pouring for baptism, and our church organization" 

Mr. T. u Yes; and you might add one more: Our 
church indorses all denominations, right or wrong, 
by its promiscuous invitation to all to commune with 
us. If I can not commune with a Campbellite at his 
own table, I can not at ours nor any other table. If 
we had no schismatic principle but this, we should, 
by the nature of our invitation, indorse and bid God 
speed to all schisms, and every one who should 
accept our invitation would do likewise." 

Mr. S. "I see it; and this changes the whole 
method of discussing the communion question. I 
now see that to find an open communion church, we 
must find one with no schismatic principle. "We 
have five. The Methodists have how many? An 
aristocratic government; three baptisms; infant sub- 
jects; apostacy ; a human origin; but so have we; 
and I can scarcely tell what. I believe they have 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 71 

as many as a church possibly can have, to be evan- 
gelical. Well, sir, I am confused," said Mr. S., with 
a mingled expression of apparent candor and disre- 
gard to his unpleasant dilemma ; "I dare not, as a 
minister of God, be the organ of a schism. "Would 
he not curse my ministry with perpetual barren- 
ness? I think I shall go to Virginia, and join 'the 
sect everywhere spoken against' — the Baptists." 

"Better have done with your taunts about the 
Baptists/' said Mr. Todd, in a good humored man- 
ner ; " and be serious. These are not matters of 
jest." 

" Indeed," said Mr. S., " I was more than half in 
earnest. I do think your reasoning all in favor of 
the strict Baptists, and I believe, if I leave our 
church, I shall join them/' 

Mr. T. "I doubt whether you would be bettered 
by such a step. After much deliberation on the sub- 
ject in conversation with Judge Rolen, I approve of 
the plan suggested in his advertisement, viz. : to 
form a church strictly on scriptural principles." 

Mr. 8. " But then would not that have a human 
origin like ours ?" 

Mr. T. "l$o, not c like ours.' It would have a Bible 
constitution, and a membership of Divine appoint- 
ment." 

Mr. 8. " But none of us could administer baptism ; 
for we are not in such a church. Do you supjDose 
my act would derive any validity from my being a 
Presbyterian minister? Would it be more valid 
than yours as a Presbyterian layman, or even Judge 
Rolen's, who is a member of no church ?" 

Mr. J*. " By no means. A baptism by the author- 



72 the infidel's confession. 

ity of a schism could not be valid. But it seems to 
me the case would be different if you or I, as a con- , 
vert from a schism to a strict observance of Christ's 
law in the formation of a church, should baptize 
each other. It would be an act by divine appoint- 
ment, because wholly in obedience to a divine law. 
In countries where there are Baptists, the Metho- 
dists and other denominations that ordinarily sj^rin- 
kle their subjects, immerse a great proportion of 
those who join them. But even these immersions 
being acknowledged invalid because administered 
not in obedience to Christ, but to perpetuate 
schisms, I could yet contend for the validity of 
ours, if performed out of pure regard to Christ's 
will. For in his sight the intent is more regarded 
than the act itself. But after all, I confess I have 
some misgivings on this point. I believe, with the 
Judge, that the true church exists, and that we shall 
yet find and identify it before we are driven to the 
necessity of forming one involving a principle to be 
at all suspected." 

Mr. S. had now, contrary to his own manifest in- 
tentions, become quite serious. Whether he hoped 
by a show of candor to win Mr. Todd over, by reason- 
ing him into a consequence of his principles from 
which he knew he had once recoiled with disgust, 
viz. : a similarity to the Baptists ; or seriously in- 
tended, for the time, to be candid for the future, the 
reader may judge. But after a short pause, "What 
doubts," inquired Mr. S., "have you that the Bap- 
tists are the true church ? I have been thinking of 
them as holding, according to your views, no princi- 
ple manifestly schismatic." 



OR THE POWER OP CHRISTIAN UNION. 73 

Mr. T. " I know very little about them. My pa- 
rents, I remember, used to despise and abuse their 
illiberality, bigotry, ignorance, and exelusiveness, 
until I never desired an intimate acquaintance with 
them. I have an hereditary dislike to the very 
name and can not tolerate the idea that they are the 
true church. I may be prejudiced, and will not cen- 
sure without knowing more about them." 

Mr. S. " I have been educated to entertain for 
them no partiality myself, and I do not suppose, al- 
though I suggested it, that they are the true church. 
But I have quite an intimate acquaintance with them. 
Your principles are very nearly the same as theirs." 

Mr. T. " That may be. But I shall be far from 
abandoning them even if they do hold them." 

Mr. S. "It now occurs to me what we had best 
do. Let us remain where we are, and get our 
church, if we can, to abandon her schismatic princi- 
ples. Shall we not then be a true church ?" 

Mr. T. " If ours were a congregational church, we 
might hope to do that ; but it is national, and we 
might as well hope to reform a nation at once. 1 
deem nothing practicable, but to renounce Presbyte- 
rianism, just as the sinner renounces his sins when 
he accepts Christ." 

Mr. S. "It is true we can not reform the whole 
communion, but we can, as the church in L , ab- 
solve ourselves from all connection with the Synod, 
and be, like some Methodist churches, independent- 
Then we can drop infant membership. We shall then 
be relieved of three schismatic principles. As for the 
mode of baptism, we may receive no others but by im- 
mersion. Should we not then be tree from schism ?" 
4 



74 the infidel's confession, 

Mr. T. " If in addition to these changes, we can 
resolve to hold church communion with no schism, I 
see not but we should then be a Bible church, with 
the exception that we should all, for a good while, 
be unbaptized. You know all our children have 
been baptized by pouring, and I, for one, could not 
be easy to live in a church which many good Chris- 
tians could not join, because of that feature. It 
seems to me we should all have to be immersed. 
Nothing less would suffice all Christians, and hence 
nothing less would suffice me." 

"If so," said Mr. S., with apparent warmth, "you 
may count me off your list. I never expect to be 
immersed. Your own reasoning in another case, a 
few minutes ago, shall plead my justification in re- 
fusing. 'The intention characterizes the action.' My 
baptism was with a right intention." 

Mr. T. "Don't be excited, Mr. Sellers; I think 
you will yet be immersed, if you find it to be your 
duty? And if you have no other ground to justify 
your refusal but ' my reasoning in another case/ you 
will have to be immersed ; for you were baptized 
wholly without intention, intelligence or conscience, in 
unconscious infancy. I fear your main trouble is 
pride of character, and that your long and public 
devotion to Presbyterianism can not easily be over- 
come even by the consciousness of duty. We all 
deplore a change of our public sentiments; and 
ministers, perhaps, more than other people. For 
my part, I know not what to become ; but I am no 
longer a Presbyterian. If to-morrow were our com- 
munion, I could not partake." 

Mr. S. "Let me admonish you, not to bo hasty. 



OR THE POWER OP CHRISTIAN UNION. 75 

Had we not better continue as a church until we can 
form one? We had better have some sort of a church 
than none at all." 

Mr. T. u I see not why. I think we had better 
far better have none than a sham church. If ours 
is not the true church, we dare not arrogate to our- 
selves the right to celebrate the Lord's Supper, or 
to administer his baptism. We have no more right 
to do either than a company of Mormons, Masons, 
Sons of Temperance, Abolitionists, or any other hu- 
man society. Their objects, as societies, may all be 
good- but they have no right to G-od's ordinances, 
while they are not God's churches. It is just as 
clear that if we are the true church, so as to have 
a right to these ordinances at all, we dare not 
change. Hence I conclude we had better have no 
church than an impure or false one. To know that 
a church is not right is enough to oblige me io 
leave it without, delay. I shall then feel the obliga- 
tion to identify and join the true church as soon as 
possible." 

Mr. Sellers, up to this time, had entertained a faint 
hope of reclaiming Mi\ Todd. That hope had now 
vanished; but he resolved to try another expedient. 
To save him he had resorted to every means consis- 
tent with truthfulness, except this ; and from his 
knowledge of Mr. Todd's character, he had but little 
hope of its success. " Who," said Mr. Sellers, " will 
fill your place in the Academy, if you abandon our 
church? The Institution is denominational, you 
know, and can have no incumbent but a Presby- 
terian. I trust you will consider well before you 
resolve." 



70 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

"Your suggestion," said Mr. Todd, looking very 
serious, as if affected almost to tears, " brings melan- 
choly to my soul. My happiness and my vocation 
are, to a great extent, united. I am, it is true, not 
dependent for a support upon my labors ; but I could 
scarcely live without the luxury of useful labor. But 
dearly as I love my calling, when a sense of Chris- 
tian duty requires its loss, the sacrifice, I think, will 
give me pleasure. I however shall have the pleasure 
of not being alone, if discountenanced by my former 
patrons and friends on account of my change in sen- 
timent. Truth will have friends. Our ' new-fangled 
notions ' have not a few, even now, both in the school 
and in the community. Messrs. Theus and Snider 
have made up their minds to be Presbyterians no 
longer. Three of the teachers, beside myself, and 
about fifteen of the scholars, have formed the samo 
resolve. Most of these have been converted in the 
effort to show me my error. As Judge Eolen has 
been assailed by a greater number, and has pleaded 
the cause with more mature ability, it is not in my 
power to tell what is the state of your church. T 
doubt wh ether a corporal's guard will be left you, 
when the Judge has made his selection. I hate to 
grieve you. but I think you will find matters as I 
have told you." 

Mr. S. now seemed really distressed. "Are these 
things true ? " asked he, as he arose and com- 
menced walking the floor. " I have not known 
you to joke on so extensive a scale in general; but 
now I can as soon believe you to joke as myself 
to dream, and sooner either than to believe true 
what you say." 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 77 

"I knew it would distress yon," said Mr. T., as if 
he really felt for Mr. S. a tender sympathy; "but 
these things are true. The best support you can find 
will be in a prayerful examination of your duty, with 
a resolve to discharge it when known, and that with- 
out regard to any thing but the will of God." 

"Well, sir," replied Mr. S., "you convinced me 
sometime since, that our church is a schism ; but I 
could not, nor can I now feel willing to abandon it. 
My parents and relatives are all there. There was 
I, if ever, converted to God. It is now like tearing 
my soul asunder to think of leaving them. If Ave 
could persuade them to go, too, the effort would be 
comparatively light. Though I know Christ says, 
1 If we hate not mother and father, and brothers and 
sisters, houses and lands, yea and even our own 
lives for his sake, we can not be his disciples,' yet I 
feel that I can not give up Presbyterianism. I can 
no more tell what to do than I can predict the 
course of the wind. I will carefully and prayer- 
fully review, in retirement, all my arguments. 1 
have been accustomed to attach no importance to 
these things ; but this apathy, I now see, is inexcus- 
able, and God being my helper, a sense of duty 
shall be my guide." 

Mr. Sellers made excuse that having lost so much 
time in attending the meetings he was not yet ready 
for the pulpit on to-morrow, and he left in sadness. 
Never had he more deeply felt his need of divine 
aid. His soul was melted in the furnace of sad- 
ness, and his sermon the next da} 1- breathed un- 
usual unction and power, and the audience was 
moved to tears. 



78 the infidel's confession, 



CHAPTER Y . — Increasing Light 

Mr. Todd was not less sad than Mr. Sellers. 
Warmly devoted to the academy in all its relations 
and influences as a means of usefulness, it grieved 
him to think of giving it up. He tried in vain to 
dismiss his trouble Irv the reflection, "God will pro- 
vide.'' He felt that self was not all that was involved 
in the sacrifice — that a mighty engine of power was 
to be propelled by the energies of schismatics in the 
perpetuity of evil, unless the institution could be con- 
verted to the purposes of the union. He started round 
to see and condole with the Judge, but stopping in at 
the store of Theus & Snider, and finding Mr. Theus 
at leisure, he invited him to a share of his trouble 
by answering the question, "Why so sad?" Mr. 
Theus, on hearing his cause of grief, laugh ingly re- 
plied: "Why, sir, you surely have not looked into 
the matter. Our firm owns $3,500 of the stock in- 
vested in the academy. Rolen owns $3,000, and you 
have bought up at a discount, and paid in tuition, 
over half the whole cost of the property, and it is 
by the provisions of the charter, per])etually subject 
to the control of the stockholders. It is ours if we 
desire it to be so. We could not indeed desire it in 
a better condition. I wonder you had not thought 
of that." 

" I have," said Mr. Todd, "and I fear you are mis- 
taken. I bought $4,000 of stock from the Selbys 
before they moved away, but it was subject to re- 
demption at six per cent, on what I paid for it, by old 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 79 

Mr. Gayle, and I know not whether he intends to re- 
deem it or not. The limitation will expire in two 
weeks." 

Mr. Theus. " Yes ; and he is a Kolen man, very 
strong, to my certain knowledge. More than that, 
he does not wish to redeem the stock. You may be 
easy about that matter/' 

"That is cheering!" exclaimed Mr. Todd, bright- 
ening. " I shall visit the Judge in better hopes than 
I expected. Will you walk round?'' 

" I thank you ; I can not leave at this hour. 5 ' 

Mr. Todd found the Judge busy, as he said, " dig- 
ging out a channel for his thought to run in" on the 
great occasion to which he was looking forward. 

" Well, how do you make it, Judge?" was the in- 
definite question with which Mr. Todd prepared the 
way for a conversation on the subject of the Judge's 
advertisement. "Are you going to let me into your 
United Christian Brotherhood, or whatever you may 
name it?" 

" I have been hoping you would see it your duty 
and privilege to join me, if not to lead me, in the 
effort to reduce the religious antagonisms of Chris- 
tendom to harmony and order. I believe you almost 
promised to weigh the subject fairly and prayerfully. 
Have you reached your conclusion ? and if so, what 
is it?" 

" Well, we will talk a little first, and it may be I 
shall reach my conclusion. Have you read ecclesias- 
tical history much ?" asked Mr. Todd, as if disposed to 
spring a new subject of controversy on the Judge. 
tl Do you know the origin and history of one of the 
Presbyterian church rites which I have considered 



80 the infidel's confession, 

very important, and which you want nie to give tip? 
I mean infant baptism. " 

• 1 have read no church history but what is in the 
Bible. Jt* it is there, I do not want you to give it up ; 
bat I frankly confess that after a careful effort to form 
an unbiased opinion on every single verse in the 
Bible, 1 have failed to discover any mention of it, or 
allusion to it. either by command, prohibition, or 
recognition. If the Bible authorizes it, I am very 
anxious to know it. For if my heart does not com- 
pletely deceive im\ I want to know and do the whole 
will of God." 

"But even if the Scriptures do not mention it, as 
you say and I confess, is that a good reason why we 
should not practice it? I am not pleading for it, for 
I am not now in favor of it; but I wish to be fully 
confirmed, The Bible says nothing about Sabbath 
Schools, and while some Christians favor and others 
oppose them, can not the opposers bring the silence 
of the Scriptures to bear as strongly against them, 
as we can bring it to bear against infant member- 
ship?" 

"Not at all," rejoined the Judge; "because, First. 
Sabbath Schools are no part of the church constitu- 
tion, while infant baptism is. When people join a 
church they do not subscribe a confession that Sab- 
bath Schools are instituted of God, and those who 
neglect them thereby sin against an institution of 
God. Secondly. Sabbath schools are not in spirit 
and tendency opposed to one of God's positive ordi- 
nances, while infant baptism is. God requires the 
baptism of believers ; infant baptism substitutes that 
of unconscious unbelievers. l Thus making the com- 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 81 

inandment of God of none effect by human tradition/ 
I have many other objections against it, which, if you 
require, you shall have." 

" No ; the last you gave, I suppose, will satisfy any 
man who fears God, and I do not see that on this 
point it will be very important to convince those 
whom God's Word can not convince. I think it re- 
quires the rankest infidelity to contend for infant 
baptism in the face of your last remark and quota- 
tion. I wonder it never struck me so before. Deeply 
do I repent, and pray God to forgive the sin I com- 
mitted in submitting my children to receive it. But 
I did it without knowing it was wrong. I even felt 
a pious pleasure as if I had discharged an important 
duty. Never before did I feel so full a conviction 
that sincerity in an actor can not make the action 
right, when it is in itself wrong/' 

■" You have, then, renounced infant baptism?" said 
the Judge. 

"I had before concluded to give it up, because I 
saw no Scripture for it, but did not think ill of it 
until your remark and quotation about it. I am 
now opposed to it as an ti- christian and anti-scrip- 
tural." 

il I hope you do not mean that no Christian can 
abet and practice it, do you?" replied the Judge, 
with apparent surprise. 

"I do, provided he sees it in the light of its true 
character. The man who, knowing its true charac- 
ter and consequences, as I have to-day seen them for 
the first time in my life, would charge it on the 
Word of God as one of its ordinances, must be as 

bold in— not infidelity — but rebellion, as Tom Paine 
4* 



82 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

or any other contemner of God and his law. I do 

not deny, however, that many Christians are de- 
ceived, and practice it as a pious duty to God. While 
their sincerity can not alter the character of the 
action from a sin to a virtue, it may yet shelter them 
from the censure and punishment of willful rebellion 
unless their ignorance results from a 
criminal neglect to study the Scriptures. I am 
pained to acknowledge this was the case with me. 
But a merciful Savior has granted me repentance, 
and J trust him for the remission of my BIDS." 

• I Bnppoee, then. 1 ' said the Judge, "I may count 

on your assistance in the search for the church? 

With Such advocacy as yours, the cause, it seems to 

would he Certain to succeed. Have you been 

talking so among any of your brethren?" 

"[ have told numbers of them that the Bible is 
silent about infant baptism," replied Mr, Todd ; "but 
till now I did not see that the Bible opposes it. 
Many of our members, and the preacher, too, seem 
to be just where you found me when I first came. 
I believe Presbyterian ism is about broken up with 
us, but I can not tell what will take its place. I sup- 
pose you have also been talking with a good many. 
What result are you able to report?" 

" The prospects are favorable for breaking up your 
schism ; but I know not as yet what course to pur- 
sue. 'God will provide.' We must study and pray 
till the day appointed, and if nothing more satisfac- 
tory be presented, we shall have to do as we have 
hitherto thought best. God will accept the best w T o 
can do. You intimated, when last we talked at any 
length on this subject, that you were unwilling to 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 83 

give up your baptism. I have thought a great deal 
about it, and can not see a universal union of God's 
people possible in any mode of baptism but immer- 
sion. How do you now feel about it?" 

"I am still opposed to giving it up." replied he. 
" First, because I do not believe the mode essential 
to its validity; and. secondly, I am opposed to re- 
baptism." 

"If mode be not essential," said the Judge, "you 
would have no sacrifice to make in renouncing one 
mode for another. Though mode be nothing with 
you, it is a very serious matter with me, and with 
many others who love the Savior. Now, if you take 
sprinkling or pouring as your mode because it will 
satisfy you, while immersion would satisfy you quite 
as well, you thus raise a barrier to the church fellow- 
ship of all whom your mode would not satisfy. If 
you ask a brother why he does not take your mode 
and end the strife, he is compelled to answer that it 
would wound his conscience, because he does not 
believe your mode any baptism at all. If he retorts, 
1 Why do you not take mine ? ' you can't say you 
do n't believe his mode valid ; you are compelled to 
say it is only my taste that prefers rny mode to 
yours. He might justly reply, 'Charity might in- 
duce you to renounce yours, but principle requires 
me to hold mine.' You could not resist the force 
of his reply, could you?" 

"It would confuse me, I confess," said Mr. Todd, 
with a very serious air; "but with my conviction 
that rebaptism is wrong, I should have to sacrifice 
more than taste, if I changed." 

"I do not believe sprinkling or pouring, in the 



84 the infidel's confession, 

eves of Gocl, or of the Bible, is any baptism at all," 
replied the Judge, " and can not see how you can; 
but even admitting both are, I think I can remove 
your difficulty. Paul found at Ephesus some disci- 
ples many years after John had been beheaded, who 
said they had been 'baptized unto John's baptism,' 
but had not even heard of the Holy Spirit. They 
had been baptized without suitable instructions, per- 
haps by some who learned the custom from John, 
but, like some in our day, did not duly instruct their 
subjects. They were baptized again. Now, sir, in 
truth, you do not know personally whether you ever 
in your life received either sprinkling or pouring. 
If you did, it was in unconscious infancy, it was not 
your act, was without instruction, and, as you have 
this evening acknowledged, against God's will. Now, 
how dare you offer it to God as ' the answer of a good 
conscience,' when you had no conscience in the matter? 
Are you not afraid of insulting God in such a way V 

Mr. Todd actually wept. "I am astounded by 
my own stupidity. Even if my conscience could be 
satisfied with nothing but sprinkling or pouring, I 
should have to receive it after a voluntary profession 
of my faith in Christ, or it would not be what I have 
just acknowledged the Bible requires — believer's bap- 
tism. I can, I will, with all my heart, take immer- 
sion." 

"Though I see no necessity that 3 r ou should be- 
lieve, as I do," said Judge Eolen, " that immersion 
alone is baptism according to the Scriptures, yet I 
feel some curiosity to hear what arguments justify 
your view that any thing else will even do for bap 
tism. I want to see if I have been so stupid in my 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 85 

careful examination of the whole Bible as not to find 
a thing which is there. Do tell me where you get 
sprinkling and pouring." 

"I never could reason this point for myself," re- 
plied Mr. Todd, " nor see much force in the reasons 
given by Edwards and others. But I found it in 
our church, and deeming it a non-essential any way, 
I took no pains to study its claims to the confidence 
of Bible readers. I have seen it alleged by some 
leading men in our church that, for thirteen hun- 
dred years after Christ, immersion was the only 
mode recognized as valid. John Calvin, the founder 
of our church, says, 'it was the common mode in the 
days of the Apostles,' and gives it as his opinion 
that our Savior received it. The word always used 
in the Greek Testament to denote the ordinance 
means to immerse. Prof. Stewart says, 'In this all 
critics and lexicographers of any note are agreed/ 
Bichard Baxter, the author of the Saint's Best, and 
many other invaluable books, gives it as the best 
reason he knows for substituting sprinkling for im- 
mersion, that, in cold countries, immersion would 
be too severe. In frankness, I think we should not 
recognize any thing for baptism but immersion. 
And now, sir, I am ready to go with you to Vir- 
ginia, and join the Baptists. For the conclusions to 
which we have arrived are exactly those for which 
they have contended in every age of the Christian 
era. Thousands and millions of them have been 
martyred for not recognizing as churches of Christ 
the schisms of men, and for their tenacious adher- 
ence to gospel order. I to-day see and deplore my 
folly in despising them as bigots and close commun- 



86 the infidel's confession, 

ionists. I now sec they are the only denomination 
which is free from schism. JSTow that my prejudices 
have vanished, I look back on their history as a 
beam of light spanning the dark cloud of religious 
corruption and oppression. Their enemies have 
branded them with what names they pleased ; but 
their principles have ever been the same with those 
in which we are now agreed. Their purity of dis- 
cipline has been the wonder of the world." 

The Judge seemed electrified as having found the 
object of his most anxious inquiries, the information 
of a people who " held the ordinances :as they were 
delivered" by the author of the Christian church. 
"And did you say they were persecuted for con- 
science sake?" asked he, as that additional evidence 
of their church identity struck his mind. " The 
Bible said < the time was to come in which it would 
be thought God's service to cast out the names of his 
disciples ' — ' that all who lived godly should suifer 
persecution/" 

" Yes, sir ; the story of their wrongs both by the 
Catholics and Episcopalians of Europe and America, 
when read even by unrelenting enemies, is enough 
to make stern eyes weep tears, and stony hearts 
bleed." 

" Do you know the name and the address of any 
one of their preachers?" asked the delighted Judge. 

"Yes/' replied Mr. Todd; "There are two young 
ladies in my school who live in the same village 
with one of their most prominent ministers. There 
is an influential church of them there, and they have 
a reputable high school. I have these scholars be- 
cause the Presbyterians disdain to patronize the 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 87 

Baptists. They are among the number in my family 
who have resolved to abjure Presbyterianism." 

"This news is too good to believe!" exclaimed he, 
as if in raptures, and tears of gratitude started in 
his eyes. " None ever trusted God in vain. We 
must write for that preacher, and have him here by 
the day our convention is to be held. What are his 
name and address?" 

"Arthur Smedley, of M — — , Ya," 

" How much will bear his expenses ? I will put 
in the letter a one hundred dollar bill. Do you 
think that will be enough ?" 

" O, yes/' said Mr. Todd, opening his pocket-book 
and handing the Judge a fifty dollar bill; "and I 
must have half the stock thus invested. You had 
better not intimate that these young ladies are 
disaffected. It will only rouse the prejudices of 
their parents to oppose them in what I am sure 
they intend to do on the day of the convention." 

" You are right," replied the Judge. " I should 
have thought of that myself. I now feel more than 
ever that we are right. And now, sir, let us pro- 
ceed fearlessly. Let us open everybody's eyes we 
can. I feel that God is about to unite his people in 
this place, and give us such a revival as the history 
of Christendom has not noted since the days of the 
Apostles. Let us be humble, and the Lord keep us 
from pride. Lead us in a season of thanksgiving." 
They bowed, and first Mr. Todd and then the Judge 
poured out their hearts, melted with gratitude and 
love, that God would lead the way in the whole 
movement, that it might ultimate in his glory. 

The city of L already began to brighten in 



88 THE INFIDEL* S CONFESSION, 

its religious prospects. Particularly the Presbyte- 
rian church became more like a house of worship 
than an extensive fancy show box. The weekly 
prayer meetings, instead of numbering from twenty 
to fifty attendants, rapidly swelled their number to 
a hundred, and frequently more. The prayers were 
more earnest and animated. They breathed an ar- 
dent desire for the most part to be guided into all 
truth ; that the watchmen might all see eye to eye ; 
that all might know and be able to forsake their 
errors ; that the blaze of unsmothered truth might 
consume every vestige of schism; that dying and 
blinded sinners might be no longer confused by the 
antagonisms of rival sects in religion. Mr. Sellers, 
though he knew not what influences were working 
these results, was animated and encouraged. He 
would often preach and exhort as if he desired and 
hoped to do some good. As he labored with an in- 
crease of faith he began to look for the fruits of his 
labors. He increased his pastoral visits, and, to his 
surprise found many stout hearts bending before the 
scythe of earnest truth. He found mourners to 
comfort. It was in the midst of this hightened 
interest that the Methodists commenced their meet- 
ing. It was remarkable that, although many became 
the hopeful subjects of conversion, yet only two or 
three of them attached themselves to the Methodist 
church. Many seekers joined, and some few of them 
afterward became converts, but only a few of them 
professed conversion at all. While Mr. Sellers must 
have known there were many in his congrega- 
tion from time to time, who wanted to become 
members of the church, he still gave no invitation. 



OR THE POWER OE CHRISTIAN UNION. 89 

And so generally was his reason understood, that 
few, if any, asked an explanation. He became more 
earnest and irresistible in his entreaties that G-od's 
people would search the Scriptures, and expose their 
Christian experience, their characters, and their 
doctrinal views to the severest Bible tests. "Errors 
of faith, my brethren," said he, as he closed his ser- 
mon on the Sabbath morning after the conversations 
before related, " errors of faith lead to errors in 
practice and character, just as any cause produces its 
own effect. Though you may justly accuse me of 
unpreaching what I have before urged you to believe 
as truth, still my present convictions impel me to 
press the point that our faith is the strongest ele- 
ment in the formation of our characters. It grieves 
me that I ever thought and preached that it is in- 
different what we believe, so that we are sincere. 
We are required to believe the truth. Through 
nothing else can we be sanctified. If we believe 
error with all the sincerity of our souls, it does not 
make it truth. It is still dangerous. If we drink 
a mixture of poison, its deadly effect can not be 
prevented merely because we sincerely believed it a 
wholesome drink. If, in midnight darkness, or 
stone blindness, we stumble over a precipice, the 
hurt of the fall can not be avoided merely by the 
fact that we believed we were walking securely. If 
we embark in a fragile vessel, our belief that it is 
strong and impregnable will not make it ride in 
safety the infuriated billows, nor breast, unhurt, the 
violence of the storm. The same God who estab- 
lished these physical laws has ordained the sequences 
of moral causes. The universalist does not, by the 



90 THE infidel's confession, 

sincerity of his belief, abolish hell; nor the atheist 
tlie existence of God. The candid believer in bap- 
tismal regeneration still needs the regeneration of 
God's Spirit. The sincere antinomian is under ob- 
ligations to preach the Gospel to every creature as 
much as it" he believed and felt the duty. Ignorance 
and inattention do not annihilate the laws of duty 
and vt' God. As we sow Ave shall reap. Each seed 
must produce its kind. If we plant coriander, we 
can not by faith make it yield mustard. The har- 
will exceed the semination. An error in 
faith may yield a whole forest of sins to shade the 
soul from the enlivening warmth and influence of 
the sun of righteousness. Study God's Word. He 
hath magnified it above ail his name. It is ballast 
to steady thy bark mid the tempests of life. 'T is 
a sword to beat back thine enemies. 'Tis a lamp to 
reveal the lurking places of sin in the darkened 
chambers of thy soul, and to show the footsteps of 
thv Savior in the confused wilderness of life, God's 
treasury in which jew r els of truth, of promises, and 
of examples, sparkle in the sunbeams of inspiration. 
Study the Bible. It will guide and chasten thy de- 
votions to God, control thy duties, adorn thy char- 
acter, and save thee from ten thousand snares. O, 
my brethren ! would that I could write it as with a 
pen of iron upon the tablets of your hearts, that 
3*ou might never forget it. Make God's Word the 
man of your counsel in testing your evidences of 
conversion, in proving your character, in trying 
your church polity ! O, make it your shield in the 
morning and your covering at night! So shall ye 
walk in light, and be children of light." 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 91 



CHAPTER VI.— Sincerity as good as Truth. 

A September's powerful sun shone brightly on 
fields and forests after half a night's incessant rain 
on the parched earth and withered vegetation. Re- 
juvenated nature seemed to invite cheerfulness, to 
animate the desponding breast of the Methodist 

minister, who was that year located in L , as he 

rode forth officially to visit a family living a few 
miles in the country. Mr. Mullens, whose house he 
was approaching, had been for years one of the pil- 
lars of the Methodist church in L , but lately he 

was, for good reasons, suspected for disaffection. A 
man of good circumstances, fine intelligence and 
liberality, he could not well be spared by his church 
or his pastor, and was not to be given up without a 
serious effort to reclaim him. 

" G.ood morning, Bro. Mullens," said the minister, 
as they met at the door. 

"I am glad to see you, Bro. Sawyer," replied Mr. 
Mullens, with a smile of mingled pleasure and con- 
fusion. After the usual compliments they entered 
into the following conversation. 

Mr. Mullens. u You have had quite a revival in 
town of late, I understand ; but I do not know the 
particulars. I did not return home till last evening, 
after an absence of three weeks or over? "What 
news to cheer the friends of Zion ? 

Mr. Sawyer. il Yery good. Thirty-three seekers 
and converts altogether joined the Church. About 
twenty-five professed conversion, who have not yet 



31 the infidel's confession, 

joined, but I suppose they will soon ; as they, for the 
most part, belong to Methodist families. I am glad 
to learn that absence from home has been, the cause 
of your not attending church for so long. Some 
have it in town that you are thinking of joining in 
Judge Eolen's union movement. Believing that you 
had more piety and better sense than to aid in form- 
ing another religious split in our town, I resolved, 
to come out and apprise you that they are using the 
influence of your name in the effort to awaken dis- 
affection in the churches. Shall I, by your author- 
ity, contradict the impression ?" 

Mr. M. < : I think I shall have to plead guilty this 
time, Bro. Sawyer. You may have been so busily 
engaged otherwise since the disaffection commenced, 
as not to consider its causes so fully as I have done, 
and even you may yet join the disaffection. The 
importance of union among all God's people has not 
received the attention it merits. It is a serious thing 
to hold principles which forbid it. All our churches 
have some barriers which ought to be removed with- 
out delay, so that none who love God, may have to 
wound their consciences in the effort to become one. 
If our church was only free from all barriers to 
conscience, it might constitute the basis of the 
needed union." 

Mr. S. "You don't mean that a Christian can 
conscientiously object to any feature in our church, 
do you?" 

Mr. M. " I do ; I have thought otherwise, but with- 
out due reflection. I had thought taste and education 
alone determined people in selecting their denomi- 
nations. But reflection assures me that a sense of 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 93 

duty to God should influence all, and does influence 
many. You surely think Judge Eolen a Christian?" 

Mr. S. " I did once. But he is making so much 
ado about his religion, as if nobody before ever 
became a Christian ; trying to break up all the 
churches in order to head one himself, and pro- 
claiming everywhere he goes the evils and dangers 
of ' schismatic principles;' I confess I almost doubt 
his piety. Indeed, I confess I come nearer doubt- 
ing his sanity, sometimes. I hate to judge. But 
really if he is a Christian he takes a strange course. 
He might know it is impossible to do otherwise than 
to form another schism, instead of healing those that 
exist." 

Mr, M. "I agree with the Judge, that if the dif- 
ferent religious sects can not divest themselves of 
their schismatic principles, each individual member 
is bound to disconnect himself from his church, and 
seek out and occupy such a platform as he can prove 
scriptural in every feature. If he does this, he is 
not responsible for the evils of schism, though they 
be not cured. But if he does not he is. Do you 
not think it a great sin to make, or indorse schism, 
in the body of Christ?" 

Mr. S. u If people are so nice as to stickle about 
little non-essentials, I do n't believe we are under 
obligation to pay any attention to them." 

Mr. M. " But suppose we differ about what are 
non-essentials; and what you call non-essentials are 
real barriers to my conscience. It could not, with 
me, be a matter of indifference, could it?" 

Mr. S. "Well, no; I suppose not. But what is the 
feature in our church which offends vour conscience? 



94 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

Your scruples may be removed ; and if so, I will do 
my best in the effort." 

Mr. M. -I heartily thank you, Bro. Sawyer. For 
the thought of leaving my church has cost me many 
a hard struggle. I have given all I could to help 
build our comfortable and commodious meeting- 
house ; and now I can not think, without anxiety, 
of giving it up and joining a new religious order 
where I shall be obliged to help to build another. 
I confess also that I have another feeling — it may 
be pride, I can't tell — but aside from all considera- 
tions of expensiveness, the desertion of kindred, etc., 
it constitutes the most annoying element in the fear 
that I shall have to change my religious name. If 
I can only remain where I am with an easy con- 
science, I shall be happy to do so." 

Mr. S. " Do you really desire to remain, if con- 
scientious difficulties can be explained away? If 
not, and you are restless to go, I will not make an 
effort to detain you; for if you have already de- 
cided to go, right or wrong, it is not a knowledge of 
duty, but approbation that you are now seeking. 
But if, as you say, you are willing to remain, if duty 
will permit, I will content myself to spend with you 
the day and night; though I had intended to visit 
you and Bro. Seely both to-day, on the same busi- 
ness. But if I can succeed, I shall not mind spend- 
ing a day and night with each of you. For you are 
both pillars in our church." 

Mr. M. "You do me honor overmuch; but Bro. 
Seely is undoubtedly worth a week's effort. He is 
young, and a fine scholar, and almost every one be- 
lieves he will be a preacher of the first order. Ho 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 95 

still holds his prayer-meetings in our neighborhood, 
and I would about as soon hear him as any preacher. 
But he is a good deal further advanced in the disaf- 
fection than I am. I understand he proclaimed last 
Sabbath evening in the prayer-meeting that he could 
no longer be a Methodist, and exhorted the congre- 
gation against the evils of schism. I have exhausted 
my powers in trying to show him his error ; but he 
has driven me completely to the wall. I should like 
to hear you encounter him. Stay all night, and we 
will go over there to-morrow together. If I could 
answer him and put him to confusion, I should be 
satisfied, but I can not answer him, and he keeps me 
uneasy. I do n't know whether he is right or wrong. 
If I could hear you and him discuss the subject to- 
gether, I could rely on my judgment of the argu- 
ments." 

Mr. S. " Well, I believe I shall not go to see him 
at all. He is just out of college, and thinks he knows 
everything. I can hope to do nothing with him till 
he gets over the big head a little." 

Mr. M. " I disagree with you, Bro. Sawyer, there. 
I have been very intimate with him ever since he 
graduated ; and if he is not deeply pious and ar- 
dently devoted to the truth of God, I am as much 
deceived as it is possible for me to be. If you will 
only show him the Bible is against him in any thing, 
he is at once convinced and converted. I have seen 
it tried." 

Mr. S. "I have no hopes of him and will not go.'' 

Mr. M. " I am such a poor hand to argue, I should 
bo better satisfied if I were to hear you put him to 
confusion, than if you should make all my argu- 



96 the infidel's confession, 

ments look ridiculous. I have no doubt you will 
do this, and then he will come and confuse me again 
as much as ever/' 

Mr. S. "■ I am not at all afraid to encounter him, 
but I am satisfied it would do no good. If he is re- 
solved, he is not a subject of conviction. Just name 
your own difficulties, and judge for yourself if I dis- 
pose of them/' 

Mr. M. u I should do that If he were here. It is 
m}~ conscience that I want settled. He has alleged 
a great many objections against Methodism, that I 
can't answer, and they have great weight with him. 
But he has failed to make me see them in the same 
light. I have noted only such as seem to me really 
serious. Of these I have had nine under considera- 
tion for more than six weeks. I wrote these down. 
He has often urged me to note others, but I would 
not. He thinks me hard to convince/' 

Mr. S. " O, well; if what you tell me is true, I will 
relieve your conscience in two hours, without any 
doubt. Name your first difficulty/' 

Mr. M. " Let me get the paper, and I will mark 
them as you dispose of them. I believe after all I 
shall be better satisfied than if I were to hear you 
and Bro. Seely discuss the subject together. You 
would be sure to get on those points that don't 
weigh with me. Objection first. Our church was or- 
ganized by the Wesleys, while they were professedly 
unconverted, not as a church, for such they never 
considered it, but as a society devoted to the moral 
and intellectual improvement of its members while 
college students. It was never converted into a 
church until the year 1784. and then by means too 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 97 

suspicious to be respected. A bare majority of the 
General Conference then voted to invest it with the 
ordinances and ordaining powers of a church. At 
the next meeting of Conference, the minute of the 
previous session erroneously reported that the vote 
had been unanimous for the change. The motion to 
correct the minute was lost. Xow, my difficulty is 
that having an origin altogether human, and that, 
too, so suspicious, and so late in the Christian era, 
we can not be the church our Savior established 
over 1800 years ago, and fortified with the promise 
'the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.' Now? 
if we certainly originated since the apostles' days, I 
can not understand how it is possible for ours to be 
the church of Christ." 

Mr. S. " Not the church, but only a branch of it. 
I hate the arrogance of Episcopacy which claims to 
be the Church of Christ." 

Mr. 31. " I understand a branch to be of the same 
character and qualities with the tree on which it 
grows. When I inquire for the trunk on which 
Methodism grew, I find it was Episcopacy, and that 
was a branch of Eomanism; only it is some years 
older, and the mother of our branch. If Eomanism 
is 'the mother of harlots and abominations, Episco- 
pacy, being a daughter, and Methodism a grand- 
daughter, must be, in a Bible sense, harlots and 
abominations. This branch notion makes my diffi- 
culty worse than it was. I understand Judge Eolen 
is aiming to form a church in town. Do you think 
it can be the church, or even a church of Christ?" 

Mr. S. " Far from it." 

Mr. M. u Well, how can ours be ? " 
5 



98 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION. 

Mr. S. " If our church has principles and purposes 
according to the Bible, I see not how its modern ori- 
gin vitiates its claim to be a true church. Does not 
the commission of our Savior plainly contemplate 
the formation, in heathen lands, of church after 
church, through the whole history of Christendom?" 

Mr. M. "Truly: the history of the principles is 
the history of the church. The age of the church 
is the age of its principles. If, then, our church has 
no principles but what are scriptural, and all that 
the Bible has involved in church organization, its 
origin can not be referred to man at all. The pecu- 
liar principles of Methodism distinguish it as the 
work of the Wesleys. The depravity of man, the 
necessity of repentance, and the everlasting punish- 
ment of the lost, aint called Methodist principles of 
belief, because all Christians think them Bible doc- 
trines. Them views that none but Methodists believe 
is in the Bible, are the peculiar views of Methodism. 
Now these peculiar views and principles are what 
keeps Methodism from being a Bible church. So are 
the Presbyterians and all other sects. But when a 
church is organized with the laws of Christ and the 
constitution of the New Testament, it is a church of 
Christ, and as old as the church in Jerusalem would 
be if it still existed, no matter when or by whom it 
was organized. In view of these facts, if Judge 
Rolen forms a church in town, in exact accordance 
with the Scriptures, will you not recognize it as a 
true church ? " 

Mr. S. "No; our town is already taxed to support 
the churches it now contains, and it would be wrong 
to make another." 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 99 

Mr. M. " Well, Bro. Sawyer, how many churches 
should there be? " 

Mr. S. " Only one, by rights. The prophets pre- 
dicted the day when ' the watchmen shall all see eye 
to eye, and speak the same thing.' I suppose that 
will be the millennium, and then will there be only 
one church. But that can not be in our day." 

Mr. 31. " Well, was there just needed one more 
church when ours was formed? Otherwise your ob- 
jection to Judge Rolen's church is not good. And 
if even so, I can't see its perfect consistency/' 

Mr. S. " O, let this point pass; it's of no impor- 
tance any way. What is your next difficulty?" 

Mr. M. "I don't concede that this is unimportant; 
but supposing you have done with it the best you 
could, I object, secondly, that our church without any 
scriptural authority, receives seekers of religion, and 
makes them members at the end of six months if 
they are willing and they are not too immoral. 
iS"ow, if this is scriptural, it is right. If not, it is 
wrong to make it a church principle. What do you 
say?" 

Mr. 8. "No one pretends to justify it by Scrip- 
ture. But it is a wise and good course. But for 
that, where would our church be in point of mem- 
bers? Twenty-nine of those we received in our late 
meeting, were seekers. They will attend our church, 
and class, and Sabbath School, read our denomina- 
tional works, aid in sustaining our ministers, and all 
our interests as a church, and when converted, if 
ever, they will be almost sure to join our church." 

Mr. M. "I am not inquiring as to its wisdom ; but 
is it scriptural? As you say it is not. we will try 



100 THE INFIDEL' 3 CONFESSION, 

the third difficulty. We invite and encourage pro- 
fessedly unconverted persons to partake of the Lord's 
Supper ; even though we know the Bible declares, 
1 He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth 
and drinketh damnation to himself? JS"ow, we know 
that without faith in Christ, they can not be worthy 
partakers. If, then, we encourage them, do we not 
God-speed them in a course of damnation ? I de- 
clare I shudder every time I reflect that I ever have 
sanctioned it." 

Mr. S. " Why, you surprise me, Brother Mullens. 
Do n't you remember that Sue Bailey embraced re- 
ligion in the very act of communing, and what a 
happy time it was?" 

Mr. M. "Yes; and at the ball, not four weeks 
after, she danced, and is now as wicked as any girl 
in town." 

Mr. S. " Why, she joined as a seeker the other 
night." 

Mr. M. "If you have no Scripture for inviting- 
such characters to the Supper, let us examine my 
fourth objection. It takes six months for a candidate 
to join our church. I am anxious to see the Scripture 
for this custom." 

Mr. S. "Your conscience surely does not rebel 
against that? Why, it is the best way in the world 
to catch all we can, and yet not take into the church 
any but the genuine. Six months will almost always 
prove a convert. But for this feature in our church. 
Sue Bailey and how many others, who have turned 
out badly, would have disgraced it. But you see 
they never got any further than the antechamber of 
the church. This feature is almost a perfect sieve 



OR THE POWER OE CHRISTIAN UNION. 101 

permitting only the wheat to pass and keeping back 
the chaff." 

Mr. M. " I tell you again, I am not inquiring for 
the human wisdom in these several features of objec- 
tion in our church. If you wiil give me Scripture 
for them, I care not how foolish they may seem, they 
will suit me exactly. If yon will just give me Scrip- 
ture, or acknowledge there is none, it will cut the 
discussion short. That a custom is not authorized 
by the Scriptures is, ir. itself, no objection with me. 
It might be innocent and yet not be enjoined in the 
Bible. I only urge such points as, seeming to con- 
flict with known Scriptures, weigh on my conscience. 
But I trust my conscience will acquiesce in anything 
known to be Scriptural. I do not object to Band 
3Ieetings, because they are not Scriptural, though 
Brother Seely deems them seriously wrong. I think 
them not only innocent, but very useful. If I 
were trying to get our discipline so correct that 
everybody could adopt it, 1 should consent to ex- 
punge everything that the Scriptures do not clearly 
require. But, as I told you before, I only want to 
get my individual conscience reconciled to Method- 
ism. The objections I allege can be removed only 
by Scripture. My fifth difficulty is that we have 
three baptisms, whereas, the Scriptures intimate that 
there is only one. We let candidates appoint the 
mode in which the church is to observe that sacred 
ordinance with which Christ intrusted her, requiring 
her 'to keep the ordinances as the} T were delivered 
unto her.' This looks to me a good deal like making 
merchandize of baptism. If people won't take it the 
way God appoints it, we, very much like Catholics, 



102 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

license a change. If the Scriptures authorize but 
one, we all know what that is." 

Mr. S. ' ; Bnt there is controversy and perhaps 
honest difficulty about what that mode is, and it 
looks too arrogant to set up ourselves to decide for 
everybody." 

Mr. M. " My question is, do the Scriptures enjoin 
or authorize more than one mode of baptism?" 

Mr. S. "To be short and frank, no; but I am op- 
posed to choosing the religion, even in its form, for 
any one. I want conscience untrammeled. Soul- 
liberty is a priceless jewel." 

Mr. M. " I am glad to hear you talk so, for I am 
sure you will sympathize with me in my sixth objec- 
tion to Methodism ; that it kidnaps the consciences 
of infants, and chooses their religion, and crams it 
on them without any regard to their will in the 
matter." 

Mr. S. "If I had foreseen the use you would make 
of my remarks, I would not have made them ; for I 
am in favor of infant baptism, and like for Method- 
ists to have their children baptized into their own 
religion." 

Mr. M. "My seventh objection is, that our church 
declares these infants regenerated in baptism, which 
I can not believe, and I consider it highly calculated 
to deceive them." 

Mr. S. "Why, Brother M. ! you shock me by the 
recklessness of your assertion. Our church neither 
believes nor declares any such thing." 

Mr. Mr. "But the Conference does.' 

Mr. S. " ISTot at all. You are utterly rock- 
less." 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 103 

Mr. M. " Does not Conference indorse and circu- 
late the Doctrinal Tracts by Wesley?" 

Mr. S. "Certainly/' 

Mr. M. " Do you not know that one of those tracts 
is to show that infants are ordinarily regenerated by 
baptism?" 

Mr. S. " 'No ; on the honor of a Christian is it so ?"■ 

Mr. M. " It is so. The author tries very hard to 
prove it. You will find something very much like it 
on page 107 of our discipline. And here I base my 
eighth objection on the irresistible inference from 
the doctrine of this tract, that unbaptized infants 
are ordinarily damned." 

Mr. S. "Brother Mullens! you don't think our 
church believes such abominable doctrine as that, 
do you? You know it does not." 

Mr. M. " It either does, or requires all its mem- 
bers to lie f" 

Mr. S. "Why, you are stiil more ; — bat I will not 
censure this time till you explain." 

Mr. M. "An acknowledgment is published in the 
discipline that the members indorse the acts of Con- 
ference. For inveighing against its doctrine, any one 
is to be expelled. Now, sir, I appeal to you, if every 
member of the Methodist church is not held up as 
acknowledging all the doctrines of his church. If, 
then, any one does not believe that doctrine, you 
shall decide the question, does he not lie about it?" 

Mr. S. "I hate to acknowledge it ; but if I say no, 
I shall lie myself, which I dare not do. But you 
don't really think that as bad as common lying, do 
you?" 

Mr. M. "It is. unless the license of Conference can 



104 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

change its character in the sight of God. Do you 
believe it can?" 

Mr. S. "Of course not. But let us take your next 
difficulty." 

Mr. M. "My ninth objection is that after all we 
have been saying about the Methodist church, there 
is, in fact, no such establishment in existence." 

Mr. S. " I suppose you feel that you have so 
completely demonstrated our anti-scriptural features, 
that you can now deny that we are a church at all." 

Mr. M. "Not that; but I mean that, in any sense 
of the word church, there is no such thing as the 
Methodist church. Give a definition of a church, any 
you choose/' 

Mr. S. "A church is a body of people organized 
for religious purposes, and holding the ordinances of 
the New Testament." 

Mr. M. "Your definition was made to suit Metho- 
dism as much as possible. Now, let us see. The so- 
called Methodist church in L can neither admin- 
ister the ordinances, nor appoint one to do it." 

Mr. S. "But you forget that, strictly speaking, the 

Conference is the church. The church in L is 

only a society subject to Conference." 

Mr. M. " Well, sir, Conference never celebrates the 
ordinances. Now, where is the Methodist church?" 

Mr. S. " I can not answer your question to your 
satisfaction, but it is of no importance. You have 
made quite a discovery. But go on with your objec- 
tions." 

Mr. M. "But why further? as you do not answer 
them. You promised, in two hours, to answer my 
objections, and reconcile mo to Methodism. Siuce 



QU THE POWER OP CHRISTIAN UNION. 105 

you acknowledge yourself unsuccessful in every 
effort, will you not have to leave the church your- 
self?'' 

Mr. S. "Not while I can find its shadow. I don't 
think it matters what we believe, or what church we 
are in, if we are sincere, good Christians. But I am 
curious to learn all your objections." 

Mr. M. " Tenth. Our government is unscriptural 
and tyrannical. New Testament church government 
is congregational, ours national. In New Testament 
churches all the Christians had a vote. In ours, a 
few hundred circuit-riders, with the elders and 
bishop, govern the whole communion of stationed 
preachers and lay members, and control according 
to their own will, right or wrong, all the immense 
funds collected off the laity. We have no appeal 
from the laws or management of Conference, except 
the glorious privilege of leaving the society." 

Mr. S. "Well, sir, you have magnified this feature 
into a great evil. In fact, however, it is not so bad. 
W 7 hen did you know this power to be abused? But 
let us take up another objection. I want to get 
through with them all. I have a few things to say 
in a general way, which I hope will have better 
effect than these strictures on isolated points/' 

Mr. M. " Well, you now have the last, except that 
our church does not follow its own discipline. Many 
of its points are not enforced. Our preachers take 
the liberty to explain them away for the most part. 
But on this article I forbear, as, instead of one, I 
should have many objections, if it were not so. I 
should like to hear your general remarks." 

Mr. S. "All human works, as well as Methodism, 
5* 



106 the infidel's confession 

are imperfect. All are liable to objection*. I have 
admitted the soundness of most of your objections, 
yet Methodism is one of the greatest boons of the 
human race. In this day of superficial learning on 
the one hand, and of religious strife on the other, 
the great dangers and tendency are, that we may 
lose vital piety in quest of pure theory. It matters 
little what we believe, or what church we belong to, 
if we are sincere in our purpose to glorify God and 
do good in the world. All the churches are liable to 
objections. He who would do the most good must 
take and maintain a place in any one of them, and 
instead of perplexing himself to find a pure organi- 
zation, give all his efforts to promote the general good. 
The best way to secure the unity designed in the 
Bible, is by silence on those controverted points, which 
only gender heart burning and suspicions. Know 
no man after the flesh. Treat all as G-od's people, 
and in that way you can do more to 'preserve the 
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace,' than in 
any other " 

Mr. M. "But, Bro. S., do you not violate your own 
advice? I think I have Summers, Chapman, Ed- 
wards, and Clealand on baptism, which I bought 
of you only a few months ago. Frogge's Eeview of 
Pendleton's Three Eeasons, and Brownlow's Answer 
to the Great Iron Wheel ; I do n't know but I bought 
all these from you. Now, these are highly contro- 
versial. I can't half agree that it is indifferent what 
we believe. As our faith is, so are our characters. 
But one thing you said will shield me from your 
censure, if I find and join a church less schismatic 
in principle than our own. You said it makes no 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 107 

difference. But it is not so with me. Still, if you 
are sincere in the sentiment, you will still treat me 
as ever, and come and see me, and pray for me. You 
have acknowledged most of my difficulties sound 
and answered none of them. I did not believe them 
so fully before as since you have indorsed them. I 
do not believe God's church is liable to a single ob- 
jection by any Christian. I agree that all human 
churches are. If I find the true church, as I hope 
to do soon, I will join it. I could not glorify G-od 
by living in some other church in preference to hi3." 
Dinner was now announced, and the preacher 
seemed really relieved by a want of opportunity to 
reply. The conversation wandered from this subject 
altogether. When dinner was over, the preacher 
remembered that he had that morning forgotten to 
call to see a ^ick member in the edge of town, and 
was soon on his way home. Mr. Seely had become 
a warm advocate of Christian union, and had read 
and commented publicly the Sabbath before on the 
Judge's advertisement. Before this visit Mr. Saw- 
yer had thought he might save Mr. Mullens. But 
priestcraft dies where the people think for them- 
selves. 



108 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 



CHAPTER VII.— Never too late to try. 

The religious interest in L increased daily. 

The convention proposed was anticipated by the 
wicked with trembling and alarm. They felt that 
it would remove one of the props of their infidelity. 
They stood insecurely. A dee]) work was felt and 
seen in the community. Satan was alarmed for the 
stability of his empire. He knew that if all God's 
people combined against him, it would reduce his 
kingdom to fragments. He is, however, not easily 
foiled. His sagacity and energy were on the stretch. 
He is immediately transformed into an angel of light. 
He would if possible decoy into his service the 
very elect of God. But will God alloV him to de- 
ceive into such danger one of his servants? Will 
he not rather, with the temptation, make a way for 
his escape? Satan's tocsin sounds for volunteers. 
There comes to his rescue a most loyal subject, 
clothed with the power of learning, and high posi- 
tion — a man, who clothed with the mantle of reli- 
gion, the love of filthy lucre, and a preference for 
worldly preferment over truth and piety — could bravo 
the Psalmist's pious acknowledgement, '-Thou hast 
magnified thy truth above all thy name," with tho 
heaven -insulting declaration, that it made no differ- 
ence with him what a man believed, whether truth 
or error, so that he was honest in his belief. To 

him, Satan commended his cause in L , and a 

mighty defense did he make. Well did his services 
merit the honor of "third ruler" in the realm he 



Oil THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 109 

might be said to have snatched, with his own arm, 
from the invading army of the living God. So soon 
as he accepts a commission from his tyrant master, 
he sets a day — the last Sabbath before the conven- 
tion — and publishes in the city paper, that he will 
then rally and harangue the opposition. We shall, 
perhaps, hereafter visit the scene of hostilities, and 
note the adroitness of our enemy, though Christians 
would rather be from such a scene. At present 
more weighty matters claim notice. It is now 
Saturday morning before the convention. This day 
and the one following are big with events which the 
reader would not pardon the chronicler for omitting. 
Mr. Hall is the Reform preacher, a warm advocate of 
the Union movement, polished in manner, and gene- 
rous in heart. He is, therefore, loved by his acquaint- 
ances. He is dignified, critically learned, and in the 
pulpit passionately eloquent and impressive. It is 
of course implied that he had a strong influence. 
By him had been tendered to Judge Rolen the use 
of the Christian meeting-house for the convention. 
At the study of the latter is this morning held a 
meeting of the most decided advocates of the Union, 
to arrange preliminaries for Thursday. J. On mo- 
tion, Mr. Sellers is made Chairman, and Mr. Theus, 
Secretary, and it is agreed that they hold office till 
succeeded by others. 2. The object of the meeting 
being explained by the chair, Mr. Todd arose and 
said: " Mr. President — from every intimation, it is 
confidently believed our town will be crowded on 
Thursday, with people from far and near, who will 
be anxious to hear the address, and witness the pro- 
ceedings of the convention. As no house in town 



110 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

will bo sufficient to accommodate them, I move that 
Messrs. Snider, Mullens, and Trimble be a committee 
to superintend the preparation of a stand in the 
grove, with seats enough for ten thousand people, 
and report the expenses at our next meeting for 
business. The lumberyard is convenient, and Mr. 
Banks has proffered to lend the lumber/' The res- 
olution passed unopposed. 

Judge. " I move that Messrs. Todd, Hall, and Har- 
mon be a committee to take care of company." Car- 
ried. 

Mr. Shouse. "I live two miles in the country, but 
I shall be glad to take care of one hundred horses, 
and as many people as will come that distance for 
accommodation." 

Mr. Mullens. "Has any word been received from 
the Baptist preacher ? " 

Judge. " I will read his letter : 

1 My unknown Bro. in Christ: — I will be in } r our 
town and at your house on the Saturday evening 
before the convention, unless Providence prevents. 
"Warmly sympathizing with your apparent love of 
truth, and determination to obey it, I am, &c., 

A. Smedley.' 

I am expecting* him to-day by two o'clock." 

Mr. Sellers. "He must preach to-morrow in our 
pulpit. Tell him so. Duty requires me to visit 
some serious people, and I shall not see him till after 
tea." 

Mr. Todd. "Imovethattheorderoftheday on Thurs- 
day be — 1st. The Judge's address. 2nd. Mr. Smed- 
ley'e. 3d. Voluntary addresses, until the importance, 
practicability, nnd means of our object are as fully 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. Ill 

developed as possible ; and, 4th. That we organize a 
church." 

This order, after some discussion, was adopted. 
Adjourned till 10 o'clock on Thursday. Prayer by 
Mr. Theus. 

Mr. Hall invited the Judge to remain, and after 
the meeting dispersed, they conversed as follows : 

Mr. J£. "It gives me great pleasure to see such 
interest manifested in the subject of Christian Union. 
I have pleaded for it in most of my sermons. Hav- 
ing the ears of none but my own brethren, I am con- 
scious of contributing but little, if any thing, to the 
present interest; I believe it was awakened wholly 
through your influence ; but still it gives me unaf- 
fected pleasure. The attitude in which we have 
always stood to the subject warrants the idea that 
our church is bound to share its benefits in a large 
degree. I think the principles of church organiza- 
tion you have deduced from the Bible are precisely 
the same as ours. We have the congregational, in- 
dependent form of government — all our members 
are voluntary professors of their own faith in Christ, 
and we have no schismatic principles ; because we 
have no creed, except the Bible. From your adver- 
tisement, I judge you have not acquainted yourself 
with our church polity, have you?" 

J. " I believe your polity is not defined in any offi- 
cial document ; but I have heard it orally defined in 
different ways by different ones of your ministers 
and members. I suppose I may consider myself as 
well acquainted with it as your own members are. 
It is, however, in my opinion, one of the objections 



112 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

to your church, that its polity is not officially de- 
fined and published." 

Mr. H. " The Bible alone is our creed. We adopt 
all the principles and ordinances there laid down, 
and observe them as they are enjoined. " 

J. "In this purpose you are not peculiar. All 
other denominations profess the same purpose. You 
take your construction of the Bible ; they take 
theirs. To decide whether or not a church is 
right, we must regard its distinctive features. All 
churches are agreed in most they profess. Only a 
few features distinguish yours from all others. Some 
you hold in common with the Methodists. As you 
have remarked, your government is independent and 
congregational — your members, voluntary — your 
mode of baptism, immersion, and its design, the re- 
mission of sins. These four features are peculiar to 
your church. No other in this community has any 
one of them. Do 1 understand your polity cor- 
rectly?" 

Mr. II. "I think you do, perfectly. So strongly 
characteristic are these features that they could not 
be more so, if printed as our creed. All who hold 
them are Eeformers; none are genuine Eeformers 
who reject any one of them, Kow, are they scriptu- 
ral ? If so, we certainly have the Bible basis of 
Christian Union. All Christians can not unite on 
all their views of the Bible. It is unavoidable that 
some will have one view, and some another, on most 
points in the Bible. The Christian, who believes one 
thing when he enters the church, may, in the study 
of the Bible, come to believe differently after a while. 
If a creed binds him to his first notion, ho has to 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 113 

change church relations, or still profess what ho 
does not believe. Do you not think it best to leave 
all free to exercise and enjoy their own private 
judgments on all points not necessarily involved in 
church organization?" 

J. "Most unhesitatingly do I answer affirmatively 
your last question. Nothing is so productive of 
schism, in my opinion, as the multiplicity of points 
on which creeds attempt to declare the faith of their 
churches. We are babes in knowledge when first 
converted. We do n't know one-half the Bible 
teaches. If we adopt a creed declaring that it 
teaches thus and so, when we have not read in the 
Bible one-half the creed teaches, we lie on all these 
points. To declare to be true, what we do not know 
to be true, is falsehood, even though what we de- 
clare true, is true. For in the declaration we pro- 
fess the knowledge of its truth. Now, how many 
Presbyterians knew, when they joined their church, 
that the Bible teaches, < God ordained whatsoever 
comes to pass?' Without denying its truth, I will 
say that every one who indorses it, without knowing 
for himself that the Bible teaches it, perpetrates 
falsehood in that very indorsement, just as really 
as in indorsing the idea that the Bible teaches 
infant baptism. Now, how many millions of false- 
hoods, told in this way, bring the blight of their 
curse on the various schisms in religion. Indeed 
there are thousands who subscribe these creeds with- 
out even knowing what they teach. In this alone, it 
seems to me, is found sin enough to blast the influ- 
ence of all the churches. To show the tendency ^of 
this evil. Suppose three years ago, I had joined a 



114 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

church expressing in its creed that the Bible teaches 
the final perseverance of the saints. I did not be- 
lieve it then. It would have been a falsehood for 
me to subscribe that creed. ]N"ow the Bible has 
taught it to me. I believe no truth more firmly. 
Or suppose I had joined a church whose creed de- 
nied that doctrine, should I not have lied by con- 
tinuing to indorse that creed when the Bible taught 
me better? I have thought schismatics believe it in 
the power of their churches to license ij'jng. I have 
heard them discussing sometimes when I know in 
reason that they were convinced of the Errors they 
advocated, and yet they declared them true accord- 
ing to the best of their knowledge. If I were to do 
so, I should fear I might be damned for it, just as I 
should for any other species of lying. I was once a 
very decided Armenian in belief. Had I made that 
my published creed, all the tendencies would have 
impelled me to seek confirmation. I should proba- 
bly have rejected everything that tended to unsettle 
me in the belief. But the more I read the Bible, 
and reflected, the more I doubted, until I renounced 
it as a manifest error, and am now a strong Calvin- 
ist. To have a creed embracing all points of belief, 
implies that all babes in Christ are men in Bible 
knowledge. A creed, as you say, should undoubt- 
edly embrace only such points as are necessarily in- 
volved in church constitution. The form of govern- 
ment, and the terms of membership must be defined, 
or there can be no organization at all. In effect, 
you have this organization. Your unwritten creed 
is, 'that a church is a congregation of Christians, 
who meet in some place, to worship God. Your 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 115 

terms of membership, alwa} 7 s explained, arc faith, 
repentance, and immersion in order to the remission of 
sins. This creed is sufficiently comprehensive, if it 
can be proved scriptural. The right to commune 
in any church implies membership; and it is useless 
to have a negative clause, that none but members shall 
commune. But, after all, it is "still true that your 
church is a schism; that is, you can not prove to all 
Christians that its principles are all scriptural." 
Mr. H. " Which do you regard unscriptural ? " 
J. " Baptism in order to remission is one/' 
31r. H. "You say one; are there any others?" 
J. " This involves several. It puts faith in Christ 
before repentance toward God. This in effect does 
away with both faith and repentance, and deceives 
every soul who believes this creed. So that what 
you preach for the Gospel, is really no Gospel, but 
directly opposed to it. None can believe your creed 
and the Gospel at the same time. I hope you will 
not consider me wanting in charity/' 

Mr. H. {t By no means. If you believe so about 
my doctrine, and do not both tell me so, and give 
your reasons. I shall think you not only uncharita- 
ble but cruel. The same feeling that would induce 
you to rouse a man sleeping in a burning house, and 
acquaint him with his danger, should impel you, 
only more strongly, if you think me deceived by my 
religion, to make me acquainted with the deception. 
Nay, I go farther; if you were not to tr}* your very 
best, I should rather call you a soul-murderer, than 
a charitable man. Much of what is called charity 
in religion is soul-murder. I hope you will make 
an honest effort." 



116 the infidel's confession, 

J. "I doubt not there are many Christians in your 
church but your doctrine did not make them so. 
Indeed. I deem it entirely impossible for one to be- 
lieve the Gospel at all, without renouncing your 
creed. The Christians among you don't fully be- 
lieve it. They may not know how to refute it, but 
they know it is false somewhere. But before I could 
affirm or deny the genuineness of your individual 
hope, I should have to hear your reasons for enter- 
taining it. Will you give them?" 

Mr. II " Certainly. I do not remember the time 
when I doubted whether Jesus Christ is the Son of 
God, the Savior of sinners. But until I was nine- 
teen years old, that faith did not influence my life. 
I was wholly careless and unconcerned about my 
condition before God. 1 had no fear of being lost. 
I always intended to repent and join the church 
before I died. When about nineteen, I became 
afraid, while hearing a warm sermon, that I might 
neglect too long. I was really distressed, as I had 
often been before, and sat revolving in mind the 
great question, ' What must I do to be saved ? ' when 
the minister remarked to the people that, if they be- 
lieve that Jesus is the Christ, and were sorry for 
their sins, their next duty was to come then, confess 
the Lord, be baptized for the remission of their sins, 
and they would then have God's promise of salva- 
tion. 'He that believeth and is baptized shall be 
saved.' So soon as I heard his explanation, I felt 
comforted, because I knew I could easily comply 
with those terms, and would do it. I was the first 
who embraced his invitation. Since my baptism my 
hope of salvation has never been clouded, except by 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 117 

the fear that 1 might not hold out faithful to the 
end, and be saved. But I have no wish as yet to 
give up. You now have the reasons for my hope 
in Christ. Could you give me the hand of fel- 
lowship?" 

J". "I am sorry to say it, but truth requires it; I 
would as soon have no reasons at all. You took dis- 
belief of the gospel for faith in the very outset. Did 
you not say you believed the gospel for years before 
it influenced your life?" 

Mr. H. " I did ; and to this day I have not more 
fully believed it." 

J". " ' Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ 
is passed from death unto life, and shall not come 
into condemnation, but is born of (rod.' ' Faith 
works by love, and overcomes the world.' The 
Bible speaks of 'the obedience of faith.' Paul said 
his sole object in preaching was to produce 'the obe- 
dience of faith.' Faith can't exist without obedience. 
< The righteousness of faith' means that where faith 
is there is also righteousness. Yet, in opposition to 
these plain scriptures, you declare you had the faith 
of the gospel without its affecting }~our life at all. 
Your preacher was a deceiver. He might by a few 
questions have learned that you were in total dark- 
ness as to the nature of faith. He might thus have 
encouraged you to seek the Lord. But the deception 
lias stilled your conscience, and, I fear, it will be 
alarmed no more. The truth is, you never have 
received the faith of the gospel, and you do not yet 
know what it is. But Christ says if you believe not 
the gospel, you shall be damned. I feel alarmed for 
you, and hope you will be patient while I attempt to 



118 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

show yon several reasons why I think your hope is 
unsound. You have never repented toward God. 
The alarm you felt while that preacher was warning 
you was produced by a sense of your condition. So 
you said. You seem to have had no just views of 
your character. Your repentance was all toward con- 
sequences. It was not toward God — not on account 
of your wickedness so much as of your danger. In 
genuine repentance we forget our danger in an over- 
whelming sense of baseness. Did yon ever think 
yourself the worst sinner in the world?" 

Mr. II. " No, sir; I was one of the must moral 
boys in our neighborhood. Though I say it myself, 
it is true ; I never could swear, or lie, or engage in 
any of the naught}^ tricks for which our neighbor 
boys were so famous. If I had felt as you say, it 
would have been a false feeling, and surely could not 
have been a part of true repentance." 

J. ( - Just as I supposed. You never felt the weight 
of your own guilt. Paul was as moral as you — ' as 
touching the law blameless.' When he persecuted 
the church he thought he was doing God service. 
Yet he said, 'Christ came to save sinners, of whom 
I am chief.' "When he saw his own heart, he thought 
it the blackest in the world. I could instance my 
own feelings; but my example would not do, fur I 
really was as great a sinner as ever sought and found 
mercy." 

Mr. II. "Way, Judge! Your neighbors thought 
you one of the best men that lived, not to be a 
Christian." 

J. "I can't help that. They did not know me as 
I saw myself. I thought with all my heart that a 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 119 

worse sinner never ventured to ask God for mercy. 
Oh, I can't forget the bitter hour. I had prayed, and 
wept, and read, and mourned over my hard heart for 
dreary, melancholy weeks, but still I found no solid 
comfort. While I had confidence in my prayers, a 
little ray of vain comfort would encourage me to 
pray and hope on. I thought I was, in some sense, 
getting ready to come to Christ. Eut when I learned 
my efforts had been all in vain— that not one of them 
had been heard or accepted with G-od — that not one 
could be till I received Christ by faith — that the 
longer I continued so, the greater sinner I became— 
that I had been all that time lying before the cross 
and insulting the Savior by the effort to weave for 
myself a robe of righteousness in preference to ac- 
cepting his — that I never could be accepted with 
him till I cut off ail recourse on the world and its 
pleasures — that I must first pass the threshold of 
sinful enjoyment, and close the door behind me for- 
ever, before the vail of unbelief would fall from over 
the mercy seat and reveal the offended Sovereign as a 
smiling, forgiving Savior. Ah ! then was a depth of 
bitterness that words have never measured. I felt 
then what I would before have spurned if alleged by 
man, that I was a sinner of the deepest dye — that I 
deserved the lowest place in hell. Oh ! I saw aggra- 
vations in my sins which I never saw in those of my 
neighbors. I felt indeed that I deserved no better, 
and should be lost forever. But oh! when I threw 
myself, sustained only by the promise of God — a 
promise 1 feared to claim — upon the mercy I had 
slighted so often, a wretch that I was, I felt his 
love;" and here the tears rolled down the cheeks 



120 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

both of the Judge and Mr. Hall, but with sobs and 
feelings he could not control, he continued in faltering 
accents, " I had tasted, and seen that the Lord was 
gracious. I now knew what it was to agonize, to 
enter in at the strait gate. I knew what it was to 
mourn. Mr. Hall, do you?" 

"No, sir/' replied he, as a fresh flood of tears 
gushed forth. "I know not what is meant by seek- 
ing the Lord — nor mourning — nor 'striving to enter 
in.' I have honestly told you all I know experi- 
mentally about religion. I doubt not I am deceived. 
I am not a child of God. I have honestly thought 
I was. I had slept till death, if you had not alarmed 
me. Pray for me. Can God be merciful to me ? A 
hundred times have I received unworthily the me- 
morials of his death. All that I have baptized 1 
have deceived and ruined forever. Can there be 
mercy for me? Do entreat the Lord for me. Oft 
have I preached that sinners have no right to pray. 
But now I am a sinner, and if I don't pray I shall be 
damned. Tell me in truth, have I a right to pray?" 

J. "'Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. 
Call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked 
forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his 
thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord. He 
will abundantly pardon.' 'God hath commanded all 
men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands with- 
out wrath and doubting.' We can't excuse ourselves 
from the obligation to pray by refusing to repent 
and believe the gospel. Strange such sophistry 
could ever enter the pulpit! If you feel your lost 
condition, you can't help praying. I would advise 
you to cry mightily unto God. I might proceed to 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 121 

show the rottenness of your experience in several 
other particulars \ but if you have abandoned your 
hope, something else will better suit your case. You 
must give up all recourse on the world. Christ said, 
1 Come unto me,' — put your trust in no other — leave 
your sins behind — give him an undivided heart — he 
will not be a partial Savior — he will be a whole one 
or none. 'All ye that labor,' — Oh! how you must 
toil in fear and effort to enter the narrow way! — 
4 and are heavy laden,' whose hearts are sinking 
under their burden, who agonize with sorrow and 
apprehension, ' and I will give you rest/ I will 
calm that aching heart and soothe that burning con- 
science. I will pierce, with the beams of my gra- 
cious smile, the cloud of woe that beglooms thee. 
1 Take my yoke upon you/ O, yes ! we must first 
come to him by repentance and faith, and then take 
his yoke, baptism, and all other duties. 'And learn 
of me.' He must be our teacher. After enlisting 
in his service, we have much to learn — must make 
his Word the man of our counsel. ' For I am meek 
and lowly in heart.' Meekness and humility are the 
lessons we most need. Mercy is a breeze that passes 
near the ground. Humility will enable us to catch 
its refreshings. 'And ye shall find rest unto your 
souls.' Soul-rest is found only in the path of duty. 
It is the only kind we may safely seek this side ' the 
rest that remains for the people of God/ 'Woe to 
the soul at ease in Zion/ The Christian needs not 
to see his salvation involved in the discharge of his 
duties. He finds his rest in performing them. ' For 
thy yoke is easy, and my burden light.' 'Wisdom's 
ways are pleasantness, and all her paths peace.' O, 



122 the infidel's confession, 

take this promise, and go to the Savior at once : 
' Him that cometh unto me I will in nowise cast 
out.' Or this — ' In the day thou seekest me with 
all thy heart, I will be found of thee/ Or this — 
I shall never forget it — it was the ladder on which 
my soul climbed up to the glorious knowledge 
of God's favor : ' I will trust him though he slay 
me/ Shall we not bow and ask God for his 
mercy?" After a season of prayer, the weeping 
Judge left the weeping minister alone with God, and 
hastened home to receive Mr. Smedley. 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 123 



CHAPTER VIII— Spots. 

A few moments after the Judge reached home, 
from Mr. Hall's study, he received his anxiously ex- 
pected guest and brother, the Baptist preacher from 
Virginia. He was almost too happy for earth, except 
when a thought of the distressed and weeping min- 
ister beclouded his joy for a moment, long enough 
to breathe an earnest prayer for the blessing of 
G-od on him. His first object of inquiry was for the 
denominational tenets of Mr. Smedley and the Bap- 
tists. Mr. Smedley, after giving a brief view of their 
church organization and polity, remarked that their 
history could be identified only by these principle^ : 
that from the day of Pentecost till now, they have 
been named and nick-named according to the will 
of their persecutors ; that he considered the history 
of these principles the history of God's church. He 
then spent about fifteen minutes in a rehearsal of 
their general history. 

The Judge was delighted beyond measure to find 
his notion of a church so fully realized in the Bap- 
tists, of whom he had known nothing except what 
Mr. Todd had a few weeks before told him, and 
what he had gathered, about three years before, 
from a few scurrilous allusions, by Peter Edwards, 
in his little book against Bible baptism. 

Dinner being over, the Judge, after venting his 
joyous feelings in another expression of delight on 
the reception of the first man to whom, in his life, 



124 THE INFIDEI/S CONFESSION, 

he felt an unrestrained willingness to unbosom his 
whole soul, proceeded to say : 

"I hope you will not grow impatient over the 
one hundred and one questions I wish you to answer 
for my edification. You must know that I was for a 
long time an Infidel. When quite young, I read 
Paine and others, who poisoned my mind against the 
Bible. I could not believe it the Word of God. But 
the soul-subduing memory of my mother's piety, with 
the many unquestioned evidences of divinity which 
poured irresistibly upon my mind, as I read from 
time to time those portions, hallowed and conse 
crated by the remembered accents of her earnest, 
trembling voice, as she would repeat them to me, 
would not let me wholly disbelieve it. I never aban- 
doned the desire and the effort to believe it. Though 
I was not at all desirous to obey it, yet I suppose I 
read it a dozen times entirely through before I was 
converted. All that while I felt the irresistible weight 
of three difficulties ; the impiety and divisions among 
Christians, and the contradictions I found in the 
Bible." 

"And the opposition of a depraved heart," replied 
Mr. Smedley, must be noted as a fourth, which is 
really the greatest of all." 

" "Undoubtedly," replied the Judge, "but of that 
I was not then conscious. The depravity of my 
will was no doubt the chief hindrance, or the stroke 
which slew my love of sin could not have succeeded 
without the removal of the third I mentioned. But 
although I now believe with all the assurance of an 
unquestioned verity, that the Bible is inspired of 
God, yet one of these difficulties still limits my en- 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 125 

joyment of the Bible. I sometimes think that, like 
the disobedient Jews, and for the same reason, I am 
appointed unto stumbling. These contradictions 
still annoy me. While the Bible appears to me 
beautiful as the rainbow, it is disfigured here and 
there by unsightly and unaccountable spots. Though 
like a statue of pure gold, it is dimmed by blotches, 
and deformed by wrinkles. Can you sympathize 
with me in this, or is the fault wholly with me?" 

"O yes," said Mr. Smedley, "the Bible has many 
apparent contradictions, which careful examination 
will prove to be minute coincidences." 

" I do not mean these," interrupted the Judge, "for 
they are its most sparkling beauties, and, in them- 
selves, strong proofs of inspiration. But I find many 
direct contradictions, in words, where the context 
furnishes no clue to a satisfactory explanation." - 

" I was about to remark, when you stopped me," 
said Mr. S., " that there are a good many of that 
character also, in our version; but none, I believe, in 
the originals from which it was translated into Eng- 
lish. The originals are inspired, while our version 
is only a human translation, and has not the perfec- 
tion and the purity of the originals." 

" Well, sir," said the Judge, in great earnestness, 
" if you can, by reference to the originals, remove 
these difficulties, you will confer a great favor on me." 

J//\ Smedley. " I only understand the original of 
the New Testament, which is Greek The Old Tes- 
tament is in Hebrew, which I have never studied. 
It may be that the explanations given by Hebrew 
scholars will satisfy you, as well as they have sat- 
isfied mo." 



126 the infidel's confession, 

Judge. " Certainly; if ours is a human translation, 
it is only the opinion of scholars about the meaning 
of the originals. Scholarship and faithfulness, in the 
translators, are all the assurances we can have that 
any part of the Bible is according to the original/' 

Mr. S. " I will do the best I can ; state one of your 
difficulties, and we will try it." 

" I scarcely know where to begin," rejDlied the 
Judge, walking to his library, and drawing a note- 
book full of notes and references. " I will first turn 
to contradictions, as I feel most desirous to have 
them explained. I have also some passages noted, 
which, if opportunity allow, I wish you to explain, 
though they do not seem to be contradictory. 1 
Chron. x, 14. 'Saul inquired not of the Lord, there- 
fore he slew him, and turned the kingdom to David/ 
Now, this seems very clearly to contradict 1 Sam. 
xxviii, 6. 4 And when Saul inquired of the Lord, 
the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor 
by Urim, nor by prophets.' If God rejected him 
for not inquiring of him, how could he reject him, 
when he did inquire of him." 

Mr. S. " Yours is a natural difficulty. The Sep- 
tuagint version, which is a translation of the Old 
Testament into Greek, made before the days of our 
Savior, and from which he and his Apostles often 
quoted, reads these passages without a contradiction. 
There are said to be different words in the original, 
both rendered ' inquired' The first means to inquire 
earnestly, and the last to inquire in a light manner. 
which Saul did when he inquired through divina- 
tion." 

J. "That is beautiful. "What a pity our transla- 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 127 

tors did not notice and correct that ! 1 Cor. xv. 50. 
'Flesh and blood can not inherit the kingdom of 
God/ In Eev. iv, 6, where the Eevelator gives a 
scene in Heaven, he says, ' In the midst of the 
throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts 
full of eyes before and behind/ Now, a beast has 
flesh and blood, and how can boasts be in Heaven?" 

Mr. S. "The word here rendered beasts is zoa, 
living creatures. Therion means a beast." 

J. " Thank you. That is plain. But in reading 
some parts of the Bible, I get the idea that hell is 
a place of unutterable torment — the everlasting home 
of the wicked. But in Acts ii, 27, 31, the prophet 
personates our Savior, and says, 'Thou wilt not 
leave my soul in Hell. . . . His soul was not 
left in Hell/ Now, was our Savior in Hell? If so ? 
why did he go thither? I once heard a wicked man 
advance the comment on this place that the Savior 
visited Hell because he intended to redeem its in- 
habitants. Though I can not receive his view, be- 
cause of the many Scriptures which contradict it, 
yet I see no better explanation of it to this day. 
Several other texts express a similar idea. 2 Sam. 
xxii, 6, David says, ' The sorrows of Hell compass 
me about.' Ps. lxxxvi, 13: 'For great is thy mercy 
toward me; and thou hast delivered my soul from 
the lowest Hell.' I have several other passages 
noted ; but perhaps one explanation will do for all. 
The Universalist has a great deal more Scripture for 
his dogma, than Pedo-Baptists have for sprinkling 
infants." 

Mr. S. "Our version is lamentably erroneous on 
this point. There is only one Greek word which 



128 the infidel's confession, 

moans Hell, and nothing else ; and yet our transla- 
tors have rendered four Greek words Hell. Gehenna, 
which means Hell is in neither of the passages you 
quote; nor is Tartarus, which the heathens used for 
the unhappy part of Hades. Hades, which seems to 
denote the dwelling place of all souls, whether 
righteous or wicked, from death till the resurrection, 
without denoting their condition, is the word used in 
all but one of these texts, viz.: that in 2 Sam. xx, 6. 
Here thanatos is employed, which means natural 
death. You are right in the supposition that this 
explanation suits all similar cases. Gehenna is never 
used to denote death, nor hades, nor the grave. It 
always means Hell.'' 

J. " What could have induced such dangerous con- 
fusion? These errors will perhaps ruin thousands 
of souls. Our Bible surely ought to be revised. Can 
we have a conscience void of offense toward God and 
man, if we do not have these glaring errors cor- 
rected? But enough already burdens our minds, at 
least for the present, and we will defer this to future 
leisure. But what can you do with Gen. xxxii : 28. 
' Thy name shall no more be called Jacob, but 
Israel?' After this, in a multitude of places, both 
God and men call him Jacob, for the Bible so records 
it. Now how can the declaration harmonize with 
the fact?" 

Mr. S. a '- Thy name shall not always be called 
Jacob, but Israel.' That was a very palpable con- 
tradiction." 

J. "Matt, iv: 10. 'Thou shalt worship the Lord 
thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.' Luke xiv: 
'Then shalt thou have worship in the presence of 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 129 

them that sit with thee.' This makes our Savior 
sanction human worship, even after forbidding it/' 

Mr. S u Proscuno is correctly rendered worship in 
the first quotation ; but doxa, improperly in the last. 
It means glory. I suspect the Episcopal king, who 
trammeled our translators, caused them to stumble 
on this error." 

J. " The Scriptures speak of several persons 
brought to life before our Savior's resurrection ; yet 
Acts xxvi: 23, reads, 'that Christ should be the first 
to arise from the dead.' " 

Mr. S. "It should read, 'Christ should be the first 
from the dead by resurrection/ and that would obvi- 
ate the difficulty.'-' 

J. " That is satisfactory. In the Old Testament, it 
is said, 'God tempted Abraham;' in the New, that 
'God tempteth no man.' I can't account for this, 
without supposing God to have changed since the 
Old Testament was written." 

Mr. S. "In the New Testament the translation is 
right; in the Old, it should be, 'God proved Abra- 
ham." 

J. " Christ says, ' He that calleth his brother a 
fool shall be in danger of hell-fire.' Which word is 
here used for hell?" 

Mr. S. "Gehenna." 

J. "Well, this is the most awful curse that can 
be pronounced, and it is for ' calling a brother a 
fool.' I have been astounded at the contradiction 
between this and an expression our Savior is said to 
have used when, after his resurrection, he met with 
his sad and disconsolate disciples, as the}* were 
vainly endeavoring to cheer each other: '0, fools! 



130 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

and slow of heart to believe,' etc. I have wondered 
if it could be that Christ, who is often held up as our 
pattern, intended this as a violation of his own law, 
to show that he is not amenable to it. I have some- 
times thought it inferable that his commands are 
more binding on us than his example. But what 
does it mean f" 

Mr. S. " The first translation is right, and the last 
should be, ' O, inconsiderate ones,' etc." 

J. " How inexcusable in the translators to make 
such blunders ! They might have done better, if 
they had only ordinary scholarship. I have a case 
which I am almost afraid to present. I could be- 
lieve any thing on the testimony of the Bible ; but 
that looks so unreasonable, I will present it. Judges 
xv : 19. Samson was in Lehi. The men of Judah 
had bound him with strong cords to deliver him to 
the Philistines. When they came upon him, he 
snapped the cords like burned tow, snatched up the 
jawbone of an ass, and with it slew a thousand Phil- 
istines. He thirsted, and called on God to give him 
water. Now comes the language which, to me, 
seems so strange: 'God clave a hollow place that 
was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and 
when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he 
revived : wherefore, he called the name thereof En- 
hakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.' Now do 
1 rightly understand this to mean that the fountain 
of water issued from the jawbone of the ass ? If so, 
the miracle is as strange as it would be to make two 
mountains without a valley between." 

Mr. S. "All who read this paragraph, I presume, 
so understand it. But the Septuagint gives a very 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 131 

different idea. Lehi seems to have been a valley. 
Its name means a jawbone. The verse you read 
should begin thus : ' God cleft, or opened, a place in 
Lehi/ You find the name Lehi in the last of the 
verse. There is just as much reason to render it jaw 
there as in the first part of the verse/' 

J. " This error seems less excusable than the last. 
I shall not now fear to present any thing which 
strikes me as wrong. It is said that Elisha caused 
forty-two little children to be slain for saying to 
him, 'Go up, thou bald head.' They did this to 
taunt him, in view of his testimony that Elijah, his 
father and master in prophesy, had gone up to 
heaven. It was wicked in them, but if they were 
' little children/ and he a good man, would he not 
more probably have taught them better? Were I to 
guess at the correction you will give, I should guess 
the 'two she -bears' only chased them. But I see 
you laugh, and you, no doubt, can explain it 
better/' 

Mr. S. " The error is in tho translation, ' little 
children/ It should be, 'young men/ They knew 
they were taunting God's prophet, and such a dis- 
play of divine fury toward them was necessary, lest 
the prophet's important mission should be wholly 
frustrated." 

J. " I had ever viewed this as a blot on the char- 
acter of God, but now I see in it both his wisdom 
and benevolence. Please give your view of Ex. ii: 
22, 'But every woman shall borrow of her neighbor, 
and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of 
silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and ye shall 
put them upon your sons and upon your daughters ; 



132 the infidel's confession, 

and ye shall spoil the Egyptians/ This seems to 
sanction the crime of borrowing with no intention 
to pay back. Is that its object?" 

Mr. S. "For 'borrow/ read 'demand/ and the cor- 
rection is made. God will ultimately avenge the 
right and reward the oppressed. The Hebrews had 
earned all they got. The master of both nations had 
a right to say that they should be rewarded, and ho 
disposed their proud enemies to comply with the 
demand." 

J. "2 Sam. xii: 31. 'And he (David) brought 
forth the people (the captives taken in war) that 
were therein and put them under saws, and under 
harrows of iron/ 1 Chron. xx : 3. 'And he brought 
out the people and cut them with saws, and with 
harrows of iron, and with axes/ I always try to in- 
terpret one passage by another, where one is diffi- 
cult ; but these conspire to increase the difficulty. 
Did David so cruelly violate the laws of nations, and 
of God, without divine rebuke? If the horrible idea 
I have of this were removed, I could embrace my 
Bible as a richer treasure." 

Mr. S. "Nothing is easier than to romove that 
notion. The original says, ' he put them to saws, to 
harrows, and to axes/ In other words, made them, 
according to the laws of nations and of God, go to 
work." 

" Thank you," replied the Judge with warmth, as 
he pressed the Bible to his bosom ; and looking on 
his note-book, said, " another blemish bedims this 
precious jewel, in 2 Cor. ix : 1. ' Moreover, brethren, 
we do you to wit of the grace of God/ Apply here 
your luminous torch of Greek criticism and cousuine 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 138 

this bit of dross, that the lovely feature here con- 
cealed may display its beauty." 

Mr. S. " ' Moreover, brethren, I inform you of the 
grace of God.'" 

J. "■ Several Scriptures say Pharaoh hardened his 
heart ; several others say the Lord hardened it. I 
think I have solved this, but wish to be confirmed, 
if right, and corrected, if wrong. The Jews seem 
to have expressed themselves peculiarly, in often 
declaring a thing done by him who only had it 
done, allowed it, or furnished the means of doing it. 
I think Pharaoh hardened his own heart, but God 
permitted him to do so, and gave him the very 
means, in the repeated renewal of his blessings 
upon him." 

Mr. S. " I think you are correct, and it may con- 
firm you to know that I have somewhere seen it 
stated, by a Hebrew scholar, that Hebrew verbs 
have a permissive mode of expression, and that the 
verb is always in that mode when the text reads 
'God hardened his heart.'" 

J. "1 Cor. i: 26. * Ye see your calling, brethren, 
how that not many wise men after the flesh, not 
many mighty, not many noble, are called.' This can 
not be true as it stands, and is generally explained. 
The wisest, mightiest and noblest of earth have been 
the subjects of the lowly Jesus, and that in great 
numbers, and in all ages. Especially was this true 
in the days of the apostles. ' A great company of 
the priests believed on him/ But if italicised words 
are always supplied by the translator, I think I can 
correct this passage myself. Instead of ' are called,' 
I would supply ' call you.' " 



134 THE infidel's confession, 

Mr. S. "I think the Greek and the connection 
will sustain you again. Paul is arguing against the 
employment of carnal philosophy, and flesh-pleasing 
trappings to win souls to Christ. ' See your own 
calling/ ' The weak are chosen to confound the 
mighty.' God chooses weak instruments to convert 
mighty men. The apostles were such, but their 
ministry was in power. Its excellency was mani- 
festly of God. He was showing to the Corinthians 
the folly of trusting in pompous teachers, who glo- 
ried and flourished in the wisdom of men, and re- 
minded them that those preachers, who used the 
foolishness of preaching the Gospel, were the only 
ones God blessed in the effectual calling of sinners, 
and in the edification of his people." 

J. "Rom. v: 20. 'Moreover the Law entered that 
the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, 
grace did much more abound.' I see no sense at all 
in this, nor have I ever heard it bettered by explan- 
ations attempted." 

Mr. S. " In this you are not peculiar. I have con- 
sulted many commentators in vain for its sensible 
exposition. The translation would be more literal 
thus : ' Moreover it secretly crept in as a law, so 
that the offense hath abounded.' But still I am com- 
pelled to pass it, in a reverential consciousness of 
inability to fathom its meaning." 

J. " Why, sir, your translation makes it as clear 
as light. I wonder you don't see it. The chapter 
shows the catholicity of the Gospel of reconciliation. 
As the sin of one man entailed depravity of dispo- 
sition and even death on all, not excepting infants 
and idiots, who have not voluntarily sinned, as Adam 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 135 

did, so the righteousness of one removes the curse of 
original sin, and secures infallibly all who stand in 
Christ by faith. But not only is the sin of Adam, 
called the sin of the world, to be taken away, but 
sin 'has crept into ' the world ' as a law,' permeating 
the whole race of man ; so that the offense of Adam, 
reproduced in every one of his voluntary descend- 
ants, 'abounds/ But the apostle immediately arrests 
and forbids the malevolent use of this truth, by the 
assurance that the entrance and prevalence of sin 
furnish opportunity to develop more fully the grace 
of God. TJnfallen nature could know nothing of his 
grace. Degraded misery is essential to the display 
of mercy. TJnfallen angels can not look into the 
deep mysteries of redemption. Paul vindicates God 
from the suspicion of malevolence in the permission 
of sin and death, by the truth that all who will may 
accept the Gospel, and rise higher in Christ than the 
unfallen angels stood. ' So that grace may reign 
through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus 
Christ our Lord.'" 

Mr. S. "I believe, sir, you have fathomed the 
depth, and nothing is more beautiful and affecting." 

J. " No, sir; but you removed the rubbish by your 
translation, and the pent-up thought sparkled in the 
joy and glory of its freedom, and I only caught and 
rejoiced in its gleam of beauty. In Eom. viii : 19- 
23 — ' For the earnest expectation of the creature 
waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 
For the creature was made subject to vanity, not 
willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected 
the same in hope; because the creature itself also 
shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, 



136 the infidel's confession, 

into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and 
travaileth in pain together until now ; and not only 
they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits 
of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within our- 
selves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemp- 
tion of our body.' I have a dear friend who infers 
universal salvation from this, and I have studied it 
one whole week, that I might show him his error. 
I know universalism is opposed to the Bible, and 
this can not teach it, but unless I can show what 
this does teach, I can not persuade him to renounce 
his fatal error. I know the train of the argument, 
and it seems very clear and beautiful, till broken by 
the word 'creation/ in the twenty-second verse, and 
the word ' they/ in the twenty -fourth. " 

Mr. S. " I feel rebuked by your zeal to understand 
this passage. For though there are about a dozen 
Universalists in my community, I am unable to ex- 
plain this to them, and am ashamed to say I have 
never studied it more closely than to read it in the 
original, and consult all the expositors I could get 
hold of to find its meaning. The word ' creation ' is 
the same in the original as ' creature ;' and the word 
' they ' is supplied by the translators." 

J. "Thank you. That is now clear. 'Creature' 
is here four times employed to denote the body of 
every true believer, which is yet in the 'bondage of 
corruption,' having no part in the ' first fruits of the 
Spirit,' regeneration, and doomed to remain a ' body 
of death,' till the attainment of its anxiously awaited 
'adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body/ when, 
as a second fruit of the Spirit, it shall be raised, 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 137 

pure and immortal from the grave. This will be 
'the manifestation of the sons of God.' All shall 
then know who they are. The italic word 'they' 
should be read that, and the connection will have no 
obscurity. The apostle's argument is to show the 
superior blessings peculiar to the justified. A skep- 
tic is supposed to object that the}^ suffer and die like 
sinners. Paul answers that their bodies are, with 
good reason, subjected to frailty for a while, but shall 
be redeemed from the bondage of corruption into an 
equal participation with their spirits in the blessings 
of salvation " 

Mr. S. " Your interpretation of this is ample pay 
for my trip from Yirginia, I have learned from you 
how important it is to study the Bible, almost alone, 
in order to understand it. You have enlightened 
me on two of the most painful difficulties I have 
found in the Bible. I want you to explain also 
Eom. ix : 28 — ' He will finish the work and cut it 
short in righteousness ; because a short work will 
the Lord make on the earth.'" 

J. " I have no light on that. If not involved in 
the rubbish of a bad rendering, I shall be forced to 
confess that, to my mind, it is a spot on the face of 
our moral luminary, the Bible. See if the transla- 
tion can be varied." 

Mr. S. Ci The last clause may be read thus : ' Short 
will the Lord make the work in this land ;' or, 'The 
Lord will make the work short in this country." 

J. "Well, sir, it could not be plainer. The 'work' 

to be finished is the covenant with Abraham, as the 

whole connection shows. God righteously cuts it 

short of the Jew's arrogant expectations. * This 

12 



138 the infidel's confession, 

land/ means the land of Judea. The Jew contended 
that God. in making faith in Christ the medium of 
justification and salvation, suffered the covenant 
with Abraham to fall to the ground. Paul declares 
faith to have been the main condition of that cove- 
nant, and proves that righteousness forbids its bless- 
ings to unbelievers. The work will be finished by 
extending those blessings to all believers, whether 
Jews or Gentiles. I am glad you suggested this 
passage." 

3fr. 8. "And I more so. You have surely studied 
nothing else but the Bible. " 

J. "Nor that half so much as I should. Do tell 
me why our translation is not corrected? It seems 
to me that its errors must confirm infidelity. 1 
can't help feeling an obligation to do something 
toward their removal. Why don't you do it your- 
self? It is as easy to remove an error as to de- 
tect it." 

Mr. S. "More has been done in this way than you 
seem to be aware. Translations more or less per- 
fect have been made, and published, by the individ- 
ual labors of John Wesley, Geo. Campbell, Jas. Mac- 
knight, Doddridge, Lowth, etc., etc. They are not 
generally used, because they are individual labors, 
and have not the confidence of the public." 

J. "It seems to me an evident duty of Christ's 
church, to take the necessary steps, for the correc- 
tion of these errors, but we now have, on our minds, 
as much as we can do. But if Christians are ever 
united, it must be on a pure Bible." 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 139 



CHAPTER IX.— The Enemy of Truth. 

The conversation having been interrupted for a 
while by the presence of company, and supper being 
over, the Judge and his guest, Mr. Smedley, returned 
to the all absorbing theme — the means of effecting 
a union of God's people on Bible principles. The 
Judge felt that whatever else was essential to the 
needed union, conversion certainly was. It had been 
a maxim with him, that, the Bible being the test, 
there are but few genuine Christians. He had, how- 
ever, talked with a great many, and had come to 
the conclusion that causes, criminal in themselves, 
but beyond the control of individual Christians, 
were in existence, which chilled the zeal of many, 
who really had felt a work of grace. " In the days 
of my infidelity," said he, " I did not think more 
than one of every fifty, who professed religion, knew 
any thing of its power. I have looked at the mat- 
ter in so many ways that I have somewhat changed 
my opinion. God's hosts are in confusion, and their 
hearts are dispirited. By consequence, they present 
a less powerful front to the enemy, just as an army 
arrayed against itself. To reduce these antagonizing 
powers to harmony, and to free their ranks from 
heartless traitors, are objects, whose attainment is 
essential to the world's conversion. Do you not 
regard the impiety of church members one of the 
most fearful barriers to the world's conversion/' 

Mr. Smedley. " I do, and the disposition among all 
the sects to enroll names without reference to charac 



140 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

ter is one of the most alarming features of the reli- 
gious world. An unconverted church member is like 
a ravenous wolf admitted into the sheepfold. A pure 
church is the world's only hope for conversion. " 

Judge. "Do you not deem it very essential that all 
who enter the church first give the most conclusive 
evidence of conversion ?" 

Mr. S. " It is so important, that, in view of one 
man's influence, in the Corinthian Church, the Apostle 
declared, 'A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump,' 
and advised that he be put from among them. Al- 
though that man proved to be a Christian, he was 
benefited by expulsion, and having given up his 
sin, he returned to the confidence of the church. 
A church with a few unconverted members is hard 
to move by the commands of God. They are ene- 
mies to God and to his cause, in just so far as it may 
require sacrifices of them. They take the privilege 
of neglecting every duty which to them seems un- 
pleasant or unpopular. That God's Word enjoins it 
is with them no motive to obedience. Pride and 
self-interest are their mastering motives. Will it 
pay to be religious every day at home ; to go to the 
prayer-meeting; to attend to the sick; to forgive 
injuries; to vindicate the laws of God and the ordi- 
nances of his church ; to pray in secret and in the 
family ; to deny ourselves for the cause of Christ ? 
These and such are the questions which the uncon- 
verted ask, and when brought into the church, their 
disposition and practice are still the same. Such 
persons often have intelligence and wealth. Their 
influence is powerful in the assimilation of the really 
converted to their character; and the whole church 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 141 

is less observant of divine command. Such influ- 
ences conspire to teach sinners that there is no dan- 
ger in disobeying G-od. It is like preaching to stones, 
to preach to sinners over such a church. The use- 
fulness of a minister is soon lost and destroyed by 
his connection with such a church. Pie can scarcely 
destroy the power of his preaching and pastoral 
visits so soon in any other way as by taking into 
his church unconverted material. 

J. " Our Eeform preacher, this morning sug- 
gested that his church has no schismatic principles, 
and is on the very basis which we shall have to 
occupy. I told him I thought it was at fault in the 
most essential feature — in not requiring conversion 
at all. At my request he gave his own Christian 
experience. I told him very plainly but affection- 
ately, that I would as soon have no experience at 
all. This led to a brief examination of his princi- 
ples, and he professed to renounce them and I left 
him apparently in deep distress. I am hojDeful of 
his conversion. In laying down our basis of union, 
will it not be very necessary to show the position 
which our religious parties respectively occupy in 
reference to it?" 

Mr. 8. "It will be sufficient, I think, to examine 
the distinctive features of the Presbyterians, Metho- 
dists, Reformers, and Baptists. The schismatic te- 
nets of all other denominations can thus be made 
manifest. But great care must be used, or we shall 
wound their feelings. Principles held from choice 
and without good reason, as all schismatic principles 
are held, are more sacred to their abettors than 
those sustained by truth. A Presbyterian can 



142 the infidel's confession, 

patiently hear one assail the perseverance of be- 
lievers, because he knows the Bible sustains that 
doctrine; but say aught against infant sprinkling, 
and suddenly he is very mad. In the first case you 
censure the Scriptures ; in the other, you censure 
his taste and his judgment. Did Pedo-Baptists and 
Eeformers regard this principle, I think they would 
guard their tempers better, when their views are 
examined. We have had this remarkably illustrated 
in our town during the past year. Dr. Shuck, the 
Presbyterian preacher who visits our town two 
Sundays every month, debated with a Catholic. The 
priest declared it a most awful iniquity to give the 
eucharist, in both kinds, to the laity. But neither 
the Doctor nor his brethren seemed hurt. But some 
months ago he had occasion to preach on Baptism. 
He declared, among other incredible things, that 
immersion had never been heard of until the insur- 
rection, by Thomas Munzer, in the sixteenth century; 
that its first abettors were outlawed, profligate, and 
abandoned. I heard of no Baptist who took offense. 
He protracted a meeting, and, by permission, I an- 
nounced, at its close, that I had collected the testi- 
mony of fifty-five most learned Pedo-Baptist authors, 
which I would read from my pulpit on the next 
Sabbath, in answer to the Doctor's statement about 
immersion. The minister, and nearly all of his 
members were offended. He said he feared I wanted 
to stir up strife. At the appointed time, I only 
explained that Dr. Shuck had made such a state- 
ment, and I intended to get his own brethren to 
answer it. In reading, I only designated the de- 
nomination of each author, and mentioned his stand- 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 143 

ing as a scholar. Our meetings, till then, had been 
attended by most of the Pedo-Baptists, but then 
only four or five were present, and they tell it that 
I accused their preacher of lying. We shall there- 
fore have to be very nice about their feelings, or 
they will raise an opposition movement." 

</. " From what you say, care will be no preventive. 
The truth offends them, and that is just what it is our 
duty to display, by tearing away every vail of error. 
We are, of course, to do it in the spirit of our Master, 
and then if they are hurt, we are clear of blame." 

A knock at the door here interrupted the conver- 
sation, and Mr. Hall entered. After an introduction 
he made no ceremony of saying: 

"I feel awfully gloomy and sad. I could not en- 
dure the loneliness of my study, nor that my family 
should know my situation. I have come for advice. 
I never knew how hard it was for a convicted sin- 
ner to believe on Christ. I still, as ever, believe 
he is the Son of G-ocl, the Savior of sinners, but I 
don't believe he is my Savior. ~Nor can I see how 
he can justly become such. I can't feel that his in- 
vitations are to me at all. I have deluded so many 
sinners by a false Gospel, I fear no mercy is for me. 
I know I have committed myriads of other sins, but 
in this alone, I fear I have cut myself off from God's 
favor forever. Saul did not so badly when ho 
breathed out slaughter against the saints. He did not, 
could not, hurt their souls. But, alas! I have ruined 
all over whom my ministry has succeeded. Mine is 
indeed a hopeless case, and the worst feature in it, 
I think, is, that I have a hard heart. I enn't feel 
contrite. O, sir, what shall I do. 



144 the infidel's confession, 

J. " Why, my dear sir, you must not trust in your 
doing. Yours is a desperate case. Like all others 
in your situation, you can't help yourself. If not 
converted, all your sins are against you. Could you 
see their number and magnitude, you could not trust 
your doing. From five till forty years of age, you 
have lived in known sin, have discovered a depraved 
and sinful disposition. Each command of G-od has, 
at every moment, received its unyielding opposition. 
His prohibitions have been treated in the same way. 
Each moment of your life has been distinguished by 
as many sins as God has given commands, either ex- 
pressed or implied, and each sin infinite, because 
in violation of an infinitely holy law, which requires 
perfect and perpetual obedience. To keep every 
precept but one, is to be guilty of all. 'He that 
keepeth the whole law, and yet offeiideth in one 
point, is guilty of all.' I wish not to distress you 
by the application of these awful truths. The duty 
grieves me, but while you cling to hopes of self-re- 
lief, the probe is needed to show that your wound 
is already immedicable by anything you can do. If 
I heal it slightly, I ruin you, and bring a curse on 
my own soul." 

"O, sir," interrupted he, ''there is the cause of my 
dread. Hundreds of times have I preached soul- 
destroying error to others, and I fear many have 
gone to hell deceived by me. But may not I hope 
forgiveness as Paul obtained it? I knew not what 
conviction was. I thought I was a Christian. I 
think 1 feel willing to do anything." 

" But I tell you," said the Judge, in great tender- 
ness, "that all you can do to better your condition, 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 145 

will not avail any thing. The heart, the whole 
heart, is the first offering God can accept of a sin- 
ner. That you refuse to give. You must believe in 
Christ. To do so, you must lose confidence in every 
other source of trust. You are hoping to better 
your case, that it may be worthy of Christ. You 
may be trusting to your prayers." 

"Indeed, sir," interrupted Mr. Hall, "I have no 
confidence in my prayers, for I feel that none of 
them have been heard. They do not rise above my 
head. Could I pray with faith, I should be relieved. 
But I have no faith. But I hope I shall have." 

"From your own confession" said the Judge, "it 
is quite evident that you are hoping to benefit your- 
self. While you think it possible for any kind of 
prayer you can ever offer to benefit you, you are 
trusting to the prayers you hope to offer. Your case 
is too bad to be helped by prayers or tears, though 
you should weep rivers of tears. Look to Christ. 
The Poisoned Israelites were commanded to look to 
the Brazen Serpent. Had they refused, in the hope 
to better their own wounds, or dela} r ed to have them 
hurt worse, they would not have been healed. Had 
I been there, urging them to look and live; and had 
they, as you do, complained that they did not feel 
deeply enough ; I could only have pleaded the dis- 
tressed condition of their wounds, and urged them 
again and again to look and live. It would, how- 
ever, have been sinful in them to wait for any thing 
else than the command of God. God commands you 
to believe on Christ and live. While you delay, I 
must insist on the sinfulness of so doing. But I 
press it with all the earnestness of my heart ; you 



140 the infidel's CONFESSION, 

had better look to Christ in haste. Think of his 
ability — ' able to save to the uttermost, all that come 
to God by him.' It does not say, 'all who have not 
preached false doctrine.' 'He is able to save all 
that come to God by him/ He is an Almighty 
Savior. ' By him the worlds were made/ Then, 
too, he is willing. 'Him that cometh to me I will 
in no wise cast out/ He died for you and now 
lives to intercede. ' Father forgive/ Having such 
a Mediator, you need not bring your righteousness. 
He will be no partner in such honor as the salvation 
of a sinner brings. His fee is all the glory. He 
undertakes for no less and asks no more. ^Yhy not 
trust him? All your life he has followed you in 
love. To refuse or delay shows a rebellious heart. 
4 The carnal mind is enmity against God/ We are 
by nature, ' filled with all unrighteousness/ What 
thousands of sinful thoughts ! Of all these the mind 
must be emptied. Christ dwells only in clean hearts. 
He will have no place in your affections but the 
throne. Your sins intimidate your heart. If a man 
injures you he dislikes and distrusts you. You have 
grieved and injured the Savior, and now you nat- 
urally fear to trust him for pardon. Eepentance \$ 
a part of reconciliation — and you must be r< 
ciled to him before you can rely on him." 

" O, sir," said Mr. Hall, " I know you tell me the 
truth, and hard as it seems, it is what I need, and 
am now willing to hear. But still I can't under- 
stand what it is necessary to do. I feel willing to 
do any thing. Do you mean that I must believe 
Christ will save me?" 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 147 

"Yes, sir/' replied the Judge, "and that without 
any assistance from yourself." 

"Well," replied Mr. Hall, with a heavy sigh, "if 
my salvation depends on that, I fear I shall be lost. 
I can't see how he could save me till I get rid of 
my sins. It would be unjust in him." 

While the Judge gave these instructions Mr. 
Smedley was an attentive listener. By request of 
the Judge that he would illustrate for Mr. Hall the 
surrender of the heart to God, he said : "A converted 
Indian, in the absence of the interjjreter, endeavored 
to explain to the missionary, without language, that 
he had found the Savior gracious, and how he did 
it, after long being distressed. Collecting a ring of 
dry leaves, he placed in the cleared area within the 
circle, a little worm, and then fired the circle of 
leaves. As they were burning the little worm made 
every effort to escape. But, met by the flame at every 
point, and driven back until exhausted with its vain 
efforts, it at length sought the center of the circle 
and coiled itself in submission. The moment it be- 
came still, the Indian picked it out, observing, ' dar 
poor Indian,' and lifted his eyes with tears of joy to 
heaven. It is not till our weakness is felt, that we 
can realize the power of God in our deliverance. 
Till we utterly distrust and cease from our own 
efforts, we can not feel our need, nor will he bless. 
The fiery law meets us at every point, till utterly 
driven from every hope of help in some untried 
means we propose to ourselves. Christ offers you a 
finished salvation. Your desire to improve it, or 
dispense with some of its provisions, is a dangerous 
sin. O, sir, there is so much hazard in looking to 



148 THE infidel's CONFESSION, 

self for one moment, I fear for you. Christ says, 
'Come unto me/ You yet cling to something. It 
may be your expressed unwillingness to let your 
family know your situation. I know not. You 
must let go all. A house was in flames. A little boy, 
at an upper window, was shut in by them, as they 
rose through the stairway from below. He shrieked 
to his father, who rushed to his rescue. Extending 
his arms beneath him, 'Fall into my arms, my son,' 
cried he, rising on tiptoe, as if to snatch him from 
his place of danger. 'It is too high, father/ cried 
the boy, in weeping agony. 'I shall fall and be 
killed on the pave-stones.' 'No, my son/ shouted the 
frantic father, as the lambent flame began to pour 
through the window itself, 'your father will catch 
you.' AYith agony in his heart, and the words on 
his lips, ' I can only perish/ the boy toppled over. 
His father caught him safely. An omnipotent Father 
bids you fall into his arms, and do you still cling to 
the foolish hope of saving yourself? The fier}' law 
pours its flames into your face. O, let go your sins 
and fall on Christ. But after all our efforts to sim- 
plify, it is the work of God to believe on Christ To 
him let us pray." 

J. " We will join you." 

After prayer, they sung that Gospel hymn, begin- 
ning — 

"Alas ! and did my Savior bleed?" 

And after prayer by Mr. Smedley, they sung — 

" Arise my soul, arise, 

Shake off thy guilty fears ! 
The bleeding sacrifice 

Tn inv Volinlf appears." etc. 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 149 

Mr. Hall then retired, still in deep distress. So much 
was his mind occupied by the fear, that his family 
and brethren would find out his condition, that he 
could not believe on Christ. Early the next morn- 
ing, he left his family still not apprised of his situa- 
tion, and was concealed until he appeared late in the 
services at the Presbyterian church. He was the 
personification of sadness. No explanation of his 
absence could be given to his disappointed congrega- 
tion, except the satisfactory guess that affairs con- 
nected with the Union Convention demanded his 
presence elsewhere. Service was conducted without 
him. 

The Baptist minister, a tall, slender, earnest look- 
ing man, was more remarkable for warmth than for 
depth of discourse. His theme was, the remarkable 
prayer-meeting — Acts ii : 1 — "They were all with 
one accord in one place." He first pictured the cir- 
cumstances under which that meeting was held — 
the sad countenances of the disconsolate disciples, 
as they grouped themselves on all convenient occa- 
sions to dispel each other's fears and sorrows. You 
would have thought you heard the sobs of poor, 
heart-broken Peter, as the denial of his Master came 
into his mind, and he abjured and bewailed his in- 
constancy. He then proceeded to contrast the unity 
and devotion of religious worship in that day with 
the cold indifference of the present, and to show 
the necessary effect of union in worship now — that 
Christian hearts are like firebrands, the closer to- 
gether the better they burn ; that it is better to be 
crowded together in a house barely large enough for 
the congregation, than to bo scattered in a large 



150 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

room ; that a large army in confusion and scattered 
is easily put to flight, while a small one closely 
banded is dreaded by the enemy. After dwelling 
next, in a most impressive manner, upon the effect 
of that prayer-meeting, in conclusion, he softened 
his audience with earnest tears, and wrote these 
words imperishably on their hearts — " Suppose such 
a meeting now, ' all together in one place.' Ascend 
some elevation which commands the whole view. 
Your meeting-house is the gathering point. As the 
hour of worship nears, you see them in every street 
and lane, marching and gathering neighbors and 
friends as they go ; saying, ' come and let us go up 
to the house of the Lord/ Each Christian hopes 
and prays for an answer to his daily prayers in 
the conversion of some loved soul. His soul is 
poured out within him. The sinner feels awed by 
the scenes around him. God is there, and he feels, 
and fears, and trembles. Now rises the minister of 
God. Fifteen hundred souls are present, instead of 
the two or three hundred here to-day. How crush- 
ing his sense of responsibility, as he stands as a 
mouth for God to so many. He forgets self. All 
pray for him, and God will answer prayer. Grace 
descends in copious showers. Not drunken with 
new wine, his people rejoice, and sinners weep. O, 
yes, my strange brethren, and they are weeping 
here to-day. Are not your hearts praying for them 
now? Mother, there is your daughter, with a tear 
in her e} T e. Father, see that noble youth, whose 
head bows with sorrow ! Is he not your son ? I 
know you are praying for him. And yonder is an 
old father, whose head drops as if with a sense of 



Oil THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 151 

guilt. Has he no daughter, son, companion, or 
neighbor to pray for him? God has said, 'when 
Zion travails she brings forth sons and daughters.' 
A sleeping mother never gives birth. (X for a spirit 
of agony to-day! Yonder go thoughtless people 
down to hell!" With this he rushed from the pul- 
pit down into the aisle, still pleading with a tremb- 
ling voice and tearful eyes : " ISTow, sinner, come to. 
Jesus. Sweet word, ' come ! ? Let it ravish thine ear, 
and charm thee from the road to ruin. A waving 
crown in the Savior's hand invites thee to come. 
Make haste, sinner, ere the day of thy mercy be past, 
and thine ear be wrung with the harsh and grating 
word ' depart ! ' Let scores to-day seek the Lord. To 
the first invitation to the anxious, many responded. 
Mr. Hall sat trembling and weeping. But few un- 
derstood the cause of his presence. After the first 
song, Mr. Sellers, with an impassioned appeal, re- 
newed the invitation. Mr. Hall, who had sat reflect- 
ing, with bitterness, how often he had ridiculed the 
mourner in Zion, and the seat appointed for the 
anxious, resolved with himself, " God will not accept 
me till I am willing to undo all I have done wrong. 
I shall be lost if I longer regard the scoffs of my 
brethren and the disapprobation of my family. I 
will go if I perish and should be outlawed by all I 
love/' And he arose and came forward, crying, 'VI 
beg every Christian's prayers. I have been a de- 
ceived man ; but now I am undeceived by a con- 
sciousness of all my lifetime's guilt. I know I am 
unconverted. " Many others arose and pressed for- 
ward. Many hoped in God's mercy. But poor Mr. 
Hall was more distressed than over. ITe felt no 



152 the infidel's confession, 

longer ashamed, nor afraid to let his brethren and 
family know his condition. That evening he came 
to the house of God a happy recipient of mercy. "I 
can tell you now, Mr. Smedley," said he, in a loud 
and distinct voice, and in front of the pulpit, ** what 
it was that kept me back so long. It was hard for 
me to give up Campbellism, and I now see that if 1 
had not done it I should have lost my soul. I was 
trying to reconcile it with the Gospel. And, oh! 
I felt that I could almost as soon die as give it 
up. But I thank God I have lost nothing by the 
sacrifice." 

From the joyous scene at the house of the Lord 
in the forenoon, it is painful to conduct the reader 
to the camp of our enemj'. His efforts to draw a 
crowd were not in vain. He is Mr. Sawyer, the man 
who could profess allegiance to the King of Zion, 
and at the same time declare it indifferent what a 
man believed, whether truth or error, and that wo 
can be as good Christians in falsehood as we can in 
truth. Most of his spiritual members were at the 
Presbyterian church. His seekers and brethren of 
kindred spirit with himself were there, together 
with a number of persons who seldom ever went to 
church. They joined heartily in the laughs he ex- 
cited by his witticisms as he would ridicule the 
Christian union that would be brought about on 
Judge Rolen's principles. And he truly did make 
a ludicrous farce of it, by representing all the mem- 
bers of the different sects in one church, Catholics, 
Unitarians, Mormons, and close communion Baptists. 
Then he would ridicule the mode of baptism held 
and practiced by the Baptists. He drew a picture 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 153 

of a woman whom he pretended to have seen 
"ducked," as he called it, by the Baptists, and it 
was so laughable that several of his congregation 
laughed outright, and he could not advance for the 
effort required to suppress his own laughter. To- 
ward the close he grew serious, and assailed the 
Baptists as bigoted, and denying that any are Chris- 
tians but the Baptists. He fought the union move- 
ment through them all the while, as if he knew all 
would have to be Baptists if they were united on 
Bible principles. He wound up by blistering Bro. 
Mullens, Bro. Seely, and many others of his brethren 
whom he knew to be favorable to the union of 
Christians ; capping the climax by saying he could 
not endure a union which would admit the Baptists 
at all. The reader will excuse the introduction of 
this notice, if he is a Bible reader and acquainted 
with the truth, that Godliness always has its perse- 
cutors. It had them in this instance as well as in 
all others. 

The meeting was protracted at the Presbyterian 
church from day to day till Thursday. The house, 
though large, could not seat the people who crowded 

to hear. Never was such a time witnessed in L . 

The stoutest infidels, who had scorned the religion 
of Jesus, and that in great numbers, were among 
those who sought the Lord and professed faith. 
Even Mr. Sawyer soon joined in the meeting, and 
shouted and carried on as though he had never 
wished it ill. But whenever he took a public part, 
it was seen to cast a damper. The best people in 
the town believed him capable of opposing any 
thing so long as it was popular to do so. and thou 
7* 



154 the infidel's confession, 

of advocating it. It was seriously feared he would 
offer himself to the Union. 

Every sermon breathed an ardent love of truth. 
The notion " that it matters not what people be- 
lieve, so they are sincere and good/' was stripped of 
its plausible garb, and its genealogy traced to the 
"Father of lies." The individual responsibility of 
all God's people, for the existence of coldness and 
schism in religion, was made prominent. The duty 
to follow the Bible alone, in spite of human tradi- 
tion, was also fully pressed upon the hearers. 



OR THE POWER OE CHRISTIAN UNION. '156 



CHAPTER X.— The Neglected Truth. 

The day has come. Its cloudless beauty and ge- 
nial warmth adumbrate the brightness and power 
of that spiritual era, whose nativity shall make it 
immortal. The fame of the revival in progress had 
extended, and hundreds had reached the village on 
the day before. On the night previous, two houses 
were open for worship, but still the congregations 
could not be seated. This morning, at an early hour, 
the whole country, as if instinct with life, seemed 
heaving its eager thousands to the center of attraction. 
To picture the stirring interest of that day/ would 
immortalize this chronicle. But it is impossible. Its 
like was never seen. The dramsellers had hauled 
together, on the public square, all their whisky barrels 
and intoxicating effects; and when each had lifted up 
his voice in thanksgiving to God for his own con- 
version, they burnt their offering on the altar of 
God and their country, while grateful hundreds 
made the welkin tremble with triumphal songs. This 
done, there was formed, without previous concert, a 
procession, which marched to the stand in the grove 
and as they went the sobs and cries of awakened 
hundreds were overpowered only by the swelling 
praises that rolled in joyous songs from the moving 
mass. Prayer and praise alternate rise, until the 
still gathering hundreds have filled the last seat. 
Every character and profession in Yonng America, 
perhaps, was represented there. The hour of ten 
had arrived. Mr. Sellers, in the Chair, arose and said : 



15G THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

'•'I have the pleasure of presenting to the assem- 
bled thousands, Judge Kolen, the converted Infidel 
and the Bible Union man." 

How shall I chronicle the transporting interest of 
this memorable day, without a portrait of this won- 
derful man ? But what limner can pencil the earnest 
orator? The speech itself, on silent paper, must 
want the mighty soul of its author. He spoke in 
earnest. A dissertation on the elements of his 
power could tell no more. He believed and spoke, 
After reading the whole of our Lord's prayer, offered 
just before his crucifixion, and recorded in the 17th 
chapter of John's Gospel, he said : " The 21st verse 
is the motto of my discourse : ' That the}'' all may 
be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, 
that they also may be one in us ; that the world may 
believe that thou hast sent me.' From this I wish to 
show that the world's conversion is suspended upon 
the union of God's people. The solemn circum- 
stances under which this prayer was offered should 
induce a devout attention to every word. Death, 
and his mediatorial work on high, were about to 
remove the great Petitioner from his disconsolate 
disciples. As he impressed that sad, but glorious 
and important truth, and then lifted to heaven his 
tearful eyes and suppliant hands, think you that any 
present could restrain weeping? He prayed for the 
purity, union, and final glorification of all his people, 
and in all ages. There are none here to-day, whose 
names were not linked with those petitions, in the 
mind of our great Intercessor. Strange with what 
unanimity the sentiment of this text, so momentous 
and important in itself, has been overlooked by min- 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 157 

isters. Are there any who ever impress it in their 
sermons ? From my boyhoood, it has struck me 
with peculiar force, that a divine religion would 
unite all its possessors. That Christians were not 
united, made me doubt the divinity of Christianity. 
I could not, it is true, be fully satisfied of its human 
origin : but it was as impossible for me to believe 
with all my soul, in its divine inspiration. It 
pleased God, just three years ago this day, by an 
awful stroke, in the removal of my companion by 
death, to break down my infidelity. I am now con- 
vinced that, though all men should prove false, this 
Book is true. 

" I can not believe that Christians would be slow 
in forming a union, such as the text requires, if they 
were duly impressed with the weight of obligation 
requiring them to do so. A sense of duty lies at 
the foundation of all moral improvement, as is 
proved by that clause in this prayer, 'Sanctify them 
through thy truth' Truth is the torch which lights 
the lurking places of sin in our souls. We must 
know our errors, or we may foster and be proud of 
them instead of striving against them. 

I. « The nature of the union here required. The 
degree of its intimacy will be understood, if we can 
understand the union existing between the Father 
and the Son. 'As thou, Father, art in me, and I 
in thee. Here are no distinctive features. 'I and 
my Father are one.' So intimate is that union, that 
the personality of each is incomprehensible by us. 
It is one of the mysteries yet above us. But it 
is easy enough to deduce from it the lesson we 
neod. It involves no antagonisms, no unfriendly 



158 the infidel's confession, 

jars, no contentions, no opposition of interest or 
purpose. 

"Such, also, is the union between Christ and the 
believer — soul to soul inclissolubly united. ' My be- 
loved is mine, and I am his.' It is an eternal union. 
'We were chosen in him before the foundation of 
the world.' Though our election was once future to 
us, it was not so to him. All things are eternally 
present with him. Hence, he has ' loved us with an 
everlasting love.' His purpose from all eternity 
united believers to Christ. ' In him we are com- 
plete. In that union is found all our loveliness in the 
eyes of God. It makes us ' dear to him as the apple 
of his eye.' To those out of Christ he is a consum- 
ing fire. We are chosen in Christ 'through sancti- 
fication of spirit and belief of truth/ The purpose 
of election is a work of eternity. Election itself is 
a work of time. It makes all its subjects one — 
unites their souls as drops of kindred fluid — binds 
them to each other with the cords of eternal love. 
In this union can be no conflict of purpose. Every 
purpose is to do the will of him who loved and re- 
deemed us. This soul-union of believers is inter- 
rupted and seriously injured, in its power for good 
to its subjects, and to the world, whenever, through 
weakness or ignorance, they become subject to dis- 
sensions in the establishment of human schisms. 
They may thus be marked by divisions, strifes, con- 
flicts of work, and heart-burning contentions. One 
only leader, recognized and obeyed, can guard 
against these disasters. Whenever we heap to our- 
selves leaders after the flesh, we are necessarily 
thrown into confusion, and all the hdrtors of r--l.i-:,! 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 159 

"Perfect harmony, both of purpose and action, is 
what the Savior here prayed for — that the believer's 
will be wholly lost in that of Christ — that no fetters 
of human society warp his purposes into conflict 
with his brethren — that every soldier in the holy 
army pour forth to the Captain of his salvation, the 
prayer, < Thy will be done/ The believer is united 
to Christ as the branch to the vine, as the bride to the 
goom, as the members of the body to their head. 
It is impossible for this union to be destroyed. It is 
a union of souls. Its existence is wrought and per- 
petuated by the Spirit of G-od, whose life-giving en- 
ergy permeates all the ' body of Christ.' The rich- 
ness and marrow of the Gospel are displayed in its 
perfect manifestation. This union of the soul to 
Christ is the conduit of spiritual life in its most ex- 
alted state — it is the breeze of heaven, which fans 
into an intense glow the affections of all his people. 
The spiritual light and heat emanating from this 
glorious union, are intended to melt the obdurate 
hearts of the unconverted. 

"But the outward manifestation of this union may 
be interrupted. Then, like fire on scattered brands, 
its glow is dimmed. With such union are eternally 
incompatible the religious sections of this day. 
They are all wrong. But one is the Church of 
Christ. All others are censurable factions. * By this 
is meant not that one is composed only of genuine 
Christians, and all others solely of the unconverted. 
There are, perhaps, genuine and spurious in all. 
But within the kingdom of Christ is only one sys- 
tem of laws, for the observance of his people, in the 



160 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

creation of churches. His kingdom embraces all 
true believer?, and none else. It is eternal and uni- 
versal ; that is, it embraces all who willingly submit 
to his government both in time and eternity. But 
this reign is spiritual. To creatures of sense its 
existence can be known only by visible tokens. To 
identify it for the enlightenment of men by the dis- 
play of its laws, its Lawgiver ordained the estab- 
lishment of the Church. He prescribes clearly the 
qualifications of church members, gives only one 
organization for churches, authorizes churches to be 
formed in sufficient numbers to suit the convenience 
of those desirous to display his laws. Xone is his 
church which has not his organization. The Church, 
in the legitimate exercise of its powers, is executive 
only, not legislative. It can neither enact nor abro- 
gate a law. It is easily seen that many in Christ's 
kingdom may fail to enter his Church, and that 
many, out of his kingdom, may, by deceptious 
means, enter his Church. Many in his kingdom, 
may enter human churches, as all do who indorse 
as a feature of church organization, any thing not 
found in the laws of Christ. The harmonious ad- 
ministration of his laws by all his churches is essen- 
tial to accomplishment of the designs of his king- 
dom — the sanctification of its subjects, and the con- 
version of the world. If one church transgress the 
limits of its powers, its neighbor churches should 
attempt, in a Christian spirit, to correct it. If they 
fail, they can only disfellowship its members and 
official proceedings. Fidelity to our king requires 
us to do this. If we do not, we indorse and shoulder 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 161 

all the guilt of its transgressions. Let fidelity be 
branded with what hard names it may, yet still it 
is a duty. 

"Baptism may be considered the vow of alle- 
giance, by which one's voluntary connection with 
Christ's kingdom is publicly recognized. The Sup- 
per and the ministry of the Word are also ordi- 
nances of the kingdom. All in the kingdom are 
entitled to the first and second of these ordinances, 
and are in duty bound to observe them. The third 
is, by the discretion of the church, to be committed 
to suitable men. These ordinances are to be kept 
by the church, as they were delivered by inspiration. 
Paul says, ' I praise you, brethren, that ye keep the 
ordinances as I delivered them unto you.' This im- 
plies the important duty of the churches to guard 
them from imposition. To give baptism to an im- 
penitent unbeliever; or the Supper to a believer 
unbaptized ; or to recognize, as a church, a body of 
such, would be to subvert the divine order. The 
recipient of baptism must give the fullest evidence 
of Bible qualifications to receive it. It makes him 
a member of Heaven's earthly court — the church — 
and clothes him with all its dignities and privileges. 
He must be a loyal subject of the kingdom. To ad- 
mit the unworthy, were to license a leper to inocu- 
late the whole camp of Israel with the lepros} r of 
sin. To give the Supper to one who repudiates the 
vow of allegiance, or recognizes and asserts the hu- 
man right to change it, were to deny the sole right 
and capacity of Christ to enact laws for his own 
kingdom. To do so is the source of all schisms in 
Christianity. 



162 the infidel's confession, 

" A religious schism is a church, with some prin- 
ciple or principles of organization, or terms of mem- 
bership, not so clearly Scriptural as to obtain the 
assent of all Christians. Infant membership is one 
of these; baptism for the remission of sin another; 
communion by the unbaptized another, etc. There 
can be no disagreement in the features of organiza- 
tion, if they are taken from the Bible by all churches. 
But if human policy is allowed to stamp itself on 
the features of church organization, the number of 
schisms will be as various as the versatility of men. 
True and Bible-taught professors will indorse none 
but Bible principles. False, ignorant, and bigoted 
professors will array themselves, each according to 
his own fancy, under some human banner, and be 
very mad if asked for the Bible proof of his prin- 
ciples. 

" It is not the purpose of this discourse to call 
together and unite all professors of Christianity. 
The Bible principles for the union of God's people, 
have, by divine purpose, an essential repulsiveness 
to the false, bigoted, and self-willed; but a glory and 
beauty which irresistibly charm and attract the gen- 
uine Christian. Bro. Smedley has the notion, erro- 
neous, I think, that God's truth, when exhibited, 
will, unless sugared over with nectared words of 
soothing sound, wake and inflame the prejudices of 
some of his people, so as to drive them into an atti- 
tude of hostility. I may be mistaken, but I think 
very differently. I think every Christian who is 
made to see the Bible basis of Christian union, will 
flee to it from the crushing evils of schism, as the 
man-slayer to the city of refuge. The very shibbo- 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 163 

leths of Zion seem intended to detect and to deter 
the hypocritical and the unworthy. I say not that all 
such will be effectually deterred. I fear thousands 
will defile the livery of heaven in slavery to the 
devil. But these tendencies exist, and seem divinely 
appointed. 'Infidelity has often asked, Why so many 
antagonisms under the name of Christianity?' It is 
often answered, ' I thank God there are so many dif- 
ferent churches. Each Christian can gratify his 
taste in the selection of which he prefers/ I stand 
here to-day as God's witness that this sentiment 
comes "-smoking from the infernal pit. Some fiend 
in angelic costume "breathed it in soothing cadences 
into the unsuspecting ears of some misguided divine; 
and bursting from his trance, in irresistible enthusi- 
asm, he stuck it in his theological labyrinth, to light 
his name to the latest posterity. Eead and urged 
in connection with our Savior's prayer, that we all 
may be one, that the world may believe, it is the 
outpouring of soul-hatred to God and man. But it 
most generally emanates from inconsiderateness, and 
proves ignorance instead of hatred to God and man. 
The variety of Christian taste alluded to, is wholly 
imaginary. ISTo one is a Christian till his taste is 
one with God's will. If he has one preference which 
can not yield to the Word of God, it proves absence 
of conversion. The moral taste is what conversion 
changes, and harmonizes with the will of God. In 
human taste is almost infinite variety; in Christian 
taste the most perfect unity. On this sophism, 
therefore, can not be based a valid plea for a plu- 
rality of conflicting church organizations for Chris- 
tians. The union our Savior prayed for can require 



164 the infidel's confession, 

nothing less than that all his people adopt the same 
organization, though in private principles or senti- 
ments, such as are not involved in church organiza- 
tion, each one having the Spirit of the Lord, is at 
liberty to form his own judgment, as he may have 
opportunity and capacit}- to study the Bible. The 
principles of organization are few and simple, and 
clearly taught in God's Word. We are to recognize 
'one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.' In recog- 
nizing ' one Lord,' we deny the right of any law- 
making power but that of Christ. The decisions of 
councils, the ordinances of Popes, and the injunc- 
tions of divines, derive all their force to bind the 
conscience from their seen consistency with Christ's 
laws. That is, they have no influence at all. To 
acknowledge their influence is to reject Christ's. 
For even if we obey him for man's sake, and not 
for his own, we reject him in the very act. To have 
'one faith,' is to receive only those who believe in 
Christ, and give in holy dispositions and good works 
the fruits of that faith, without which it never ex- 
ists. To hold 'one baptism,' is to practice, to the 
utter rejection of all others, the one Christ enjoins, 
and unaltered in its mode, subject or design ; that 
we receive all its consequences, and deduce its con- 
sequences from nothing else. As it guarantees to 
its worthy recipient all the immunities of church 
membership, and eligibility to any office in the gift 
of the members, we are to deny them to none, until 
wicked conduct vitiates the title acknowledged in 
the bestowment of baptism. Then all are to be with- 
held. To deduce the right to church privileges from 
something else, as, for instance, from a declaration 



OR THE POWER OE CHRISTIAN UNION. 165 

that we are Christians, or from the consistency of 
our deportment, is to undervalue the position and 
importance of baptism, as enjoined by our Savior. 

" From these remarks it is plain that a Gospel 
church exhibits, and can not exist without, these five 
features. First. The Bible is its only faith book, or 
authoritative source of appeal in doctrine and disci- 
pline. Secondly. Its candidate for baptism is a new 
creature, regenerated by God's Spirit through the 
belief and obedience of the Gospel with the whole 
heart. Thirdly. The mode of baptism is immersion. 
Fourthly. Its design is obedience to Christ from a 
principle of love. Fifthly. When received from -a 
Gospel church it is the recipient's divinely author- 
ized passport to the fellowship, communion, and 
privileges of the church. 

The union for which our Savior prayed, is impossi- 
ble on any other basis than this. All churches which 
incorporate principles at variance with these are 
sectarian. All Christians can preserve a good con- 
science in uniting with one of these, but in uniting 
with one of different principles, a woeful amount of 
ignorance is necessary to keep the conscience easy. 
If these principles are true % it is very plain that all 
the denominations of our community are sects. The 
Presbyterian Confession of Faith is, I believe, sound 
on most points. Most of its views will be pro- 
nounced correct by an advanced Bible scholar. But 
because its doctrines have to be indorsed by all its 
subscribers before they can know whether they are 
Bible doctrines or not, even those views which are 
tenable, are barriers to the consciences of young 
Christians. Unless they determine blindly to in- 



166 the infidel's confession, 

dorse them, they can not join that church until they 
are far advanced in age and Bible knowledge. There 
is a very small proportion of Christians who can 
trust men so far as to indorse, as Bible truth, all 
that they set forth as such, without knowing it to 
be such. And hence a small proportion of Chris- 
tians can join the Presbyterians. The infallibility 
of their principles is the more liable to suspicion 
because some of them never can be indorsed by in- 
dependent, conscientious, Bible-reading Christians. 
Presbyterian ism has lost the best men it ever had 
and in great numbers, because increasing Bible 
knowledge showed the Popery of infant sprinkling, 
and of adult sprinkling. 

u . -Neither can this union take place with the 
Methodists. Similar reasons to those already given 
are more numerous with them. But it has been al- 
leged that they are so liberal that one may do or be 
almost what he pleases and still be a Methodist. 
This will not do for the union point of Christians. 
With some characters quality of society is indiffer- 
ent. But the truly pious are select in their notions. 
Heaven's grand attraction is that ' the wicked cease 
from troubling/ They are unwilling that a single 
leper roam at liberty in the camp. They fear the 
infection. Methodism invites them by thousands. 

"Nor will Campbellism do for this union basis. 
But Mr. Hall, the pastor of that church, who, within 
a few days, has been led to see the dangers of his 
system, and to renounce them, and to seek the Lord, 
as a lost sinner, agrees to make good 1113' objections 
to Campbellism, as the basis of Christian union, and 
I will not urge them. 



OR THE POWER OE CHRISTIAN UNION. 167 

"I have taken less pains to learn how things are 
in the religious world than to learn how they should 
be. But I have learned that many, even hundreds 
of religious parties exist now and have existed, all 
claiming to be churches of Christ. I have heard it 
announced by our chairman of to-day, and he will 
agree, though he has now renounced the sentiment, 
that the ministers of his church, the Presbyterians 
in general, do affirm, in view of all these sects in 
religion, that they are characterized by the' union 
our Savior prayed for. It is said, 'all are united in 
the purpose to do good and to get to heaven/ I 
learn that the sects have, in nearly every age of the 
Christian era, rolled their garments in each other's 
blood ; that Presbyterianism itself, the noblest of all 
these schisms, was cemented to its foundation rock, 
Eomanism, by the blood of Servetus. But its zeal- 
ous abettors will not read and know these things 
for themselves. I fear they will be content to accuse 
me of falsehood, for telling the cheek-blenching 
truth. 

" Such antagonisms can not represent the union 
between the Father and the Son, nor will consider- 
ate Christians believe they answer our Savior's 
prayer for the union of his people. We have seen 
and felt their influence in our day and country. A 
meeting for the conversion of sinners is held. It 
matters not by what sect. All the others feel but 
little obligation to give it their influence. Those 
who believe it is by a sect that ought not to exist 
dare not, for conscience' sake, encourage it by their 
prayers or influence. Regarding Presbyterianism a 
sect, if I were to pray for its advancement, I should 



168 the infidel's confession, 

pray for schism in the body of Christ to bo perpet- 
uated. If Mr. Smedley's church is a sect, and we 
have during the powerful revival which has been 
advancing under his preaching for several days, 
been praying for it to be built up, our prayers have 
been very censurable. It is impossible to unite 
the prayers and efforts of God's people in a sectarian 
movement, and on this account but little good attends 
the labors of our preachers. 

II. From the nature, let us turn to the impor- 
tance of the union our Savior prayed for. 

1. He would not have prayed for it noic, if it had 
been unimportant. The fountain of his love could 
not now vent itself through small channels. The 
subordinate elements of their well-being are swal- 
lowed up and for the time concealed in the all-com- 
prehensive points of his petitions for the purity, 
unity, and glorification of his people. There is no 
possible good, but it is embraced in one or another 
of these points. Could his earnest soul have in- 
dicted a vain petition ? Could he have wasted 
words in unmeaning phrases then ? Surely, every 
clause of this prayer, however neglected by the min- 
isters and schisms of the present day, was stirred 
from the deep heart of the all wise and compassion- 
ate Savior. If the father's richest blessing is breathed 
on his family, when he is about to close his eyes in 
death and see them no more; if the mother's re- 
membrancer to her son, as he leaves the parental 
roof to seek his fortune on the sea of temptation, 
is the jewel she holds nearest her heart; if the fare- 
well words in which we imprint, on the hearts of 
departing friends, our counsels and warm regards, 



OR THE POWER OE CHRISTIAN UNION. 169 

are the most solemn and impressive we can select; 
would he 'who loved us, and gave himself for us,' 
have left his dying token in an unmeaning prayer? 
~No ! His dying love unsealed its deepest fountains, 
and displayed its richest mementoes to the beloved 
ones he was now to leave. 

Every word was important, and should be em- 
balmed in grateful consideration and affectionate 
remembrance. Do you ask an argument to prove 
the importance of Christian union. Let it suffice 
you that Christ prayed for it when his 'hour was 
come.' Whether to gratify a desire like human am- 
bition, in the harmony which should bind his peo- 
ple together, as animated by the Spirit of their only 
recognized Master, or to fling abroad the un scattered 
splendor of that moral radiance of which Christians 
are made the depositories a-nd the reflectors, or to 
secure to the world some other concealed but impor- 
tant blessing, inseparably connected with its exist- 
ence ;• whatever might be the purpose of our Savior 
in offering this prayer, it should suffice us that his 
wisdom and his benevolence offered the petition that 
1 we all might be one.' 

2. " The end to be attained by this union shows it 
important. 'That the world may believe that thou 
hast sent me.' The purpose of the four Gospels was 
to prove Christ's Messiahship. To believe that with 
all the heart, and in all its consequences, is to believe 
the Gospel. ' He that believeth not ' the Gospel ' shall 
be damned/ On this union are. therefore, seen to 
hang consequences vast as an eternity of universal 
happiness. Our Savior has, in effect, said, 'if my 
people become arraved into schisms under men, each 
8 



170 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

after his own fancy, and do not harmonize in tho 
display of my laws, but form antagonizing sects, the 
world will not believe my Gospel. Infidelity will 
grow rank and scoff at the Gospel. Preachers will 
lose its unction and the world its saving power.' It 
is highly probable that the millions who die uncon- 
verted owe the instrumentality of their damnation 
to the disunion of Christians. Prophesy mentions 
as one of the concomitants of the ' latter day glory/ 
that the watchmen shall see eye to eye. and speak 
the same thing. It is a startling thought that nearly 
eight hundred millions of our race plunge into hell 
every thirty-five or forty years through the influ- 
ence of an evil which Christians originate and pro- 
long. The bare possibility of our censure in this 
matter ought to awaken in each individual here to- 
day the most earnest and attentive inquiry. It is 
reasonably estimated that eight hundred millions of 
our race die without sound conversion every thirty- 
five years. Every year that amounts to 22,857,143. 
Try these figures, and see how many die Christless 
every day. It is 62,451 per day. Your pulse does 
not beat more than 86,000 times in twenty -four 
hours. Now, what are these whose destruction wo 
are counting by thousands in a single day? Are 
they golden eagles, royal crowns, cities, empires? 
"Nol they are units, each one of whose value would 
stagger and confound the mightiest thoughl to grasp 
and estimate the number of Golden mines in which 
it might be expressed. Worlds on countless worlds 
were weighed down by the value of one soul, and 
yet, my brethren, there is that in your position as 
Christians, which helps to drown them in hell by 



OR THE POWER OE CHRISTIAN UNION. 171 

thousands in a single day. Awake and bethink you 
how to remedy the evil ! 

3. The nature of religion shows the need of this union. 
It is not something tangible, whose worth can be dis- 
covered by an exercise of the senses, or of the intel- 
lect. It is spiritual. " The kingdom of God cometh 
not with observation/' Gorgeous feasts and trium- 
phal marches neither herald nor unfold its charms. 
Its sacred manna must be tasted, or its sweets can 
not be understood. Its glorious arcana must be en- 
tered and explored, or they are mysteries still. It 
is a splendid temple, whose beauty and glory are 
within. The passer-by can catch no glimpse of its 
excellences. Its exterior is unsightly and repulsive. 
To one only watchword do its portals open. This 
word the Master alone can communicate, and he 
always gives it in a whisper heard not in the bustle 
of life, nor in the ante-room of impenitence, but at 
the secret shrine of his own audience chamber. The 
candidate enters not in the garments of his own 
righteousness. Self, with all it holds most dear, 
must be renounced. The Heart-searcher allows no 
mental reservation. In the shameful consciousness 
of ill-desert, and in the dread of His holy and scath- 
ing frowns, the soul must go naked into the brightness 
of His presence. Recourse on all else must be sacri- 
ficed ere admission can be gained. Thousands have 
struggled long to find access without renouncing all. 
Here is the soul-struggle implied in the important 
command, ' Agonise to enter in at the difficult gate.' 
And here the reason why 'many seek to enter in, 
and are not able.' The soul must bargain, deed, 
and convoy away all its love, and all power to re- 



172 the infidel's confession, 

claim, before entrance can be had. The vail that 
covers the pearl he must sell all to buy, is never 
withdrawn, to reveal its priceless value, until the 
bargain and assignment are unalterably made and 
forever sealed. The purposes of the heart must be 
discerned and approved by the Porter, ere the door 
opens to the candidate. We must renounce all for 
Christ. Blind Bartimeus must throw aside his 
blanket, ere the Savior will receive him. 'He came 
not to call the righteous.' 

'•The sinner thinks a cloud of vengeance is over 
the Savior's face. The vail of sin permits him to 
see no inviting smile. He halts and trembles. ■ 1 
would venture ; but oh ! my sense of guilt says 
those inviting promises were never meant for me. 
If I venture, I shall perish. To sign away my all 
were only to commence my eternal misery the 
sooner. I dare not hope any better, for this I de- 
serve, and the Judge of all the earth will do right.' 
Now, what can encourage this surrender? The 
offered enjoyments are spiritual. He is carnal and 
can not discern their value. To him they are like 
jewels in the esteem of swine. These he despises, 
while earth's pleasures he loves with a devoted 
heart. Now, what will satisfy him that the renun- 
ciation and change will not ruin him forever? God's 
witnesses must testify in harmony. They are sup- 
posed to have tasted and seen that the Lord is gra- 
cious. One jar or conflict in their testimony awakens 
the sinner's doubts. There is a patient at death's 
door. The only remedy is almost as severe as death. 
A hundred witnesses of its infallible power are sum- 
moned to convince the dying man it will save him. 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 173 

"They dispute about the manner of its applica- 
tion. What one advises another declares will kill. 
While all admit the efficacy of the remedy when 
rightly used, they discourage the patient from try- 
ing it from a fear that it would make his wretched 
condition worse. All agree that he dies because he 
would not try the remedy. Those friends are 
grieved ; but how could they harmonize in their 
testimony, while their opinions honestly differed I 
One will say, ' he should have tried the remedy in 
disregard of their contentions.' True : but the state 
of his disease was such that their disagreement kept 
him from trying it. The sinner, too, needs the united 
testimony of all God's people to encourage his sur- 
render to God. He finds them devouring each other 
in unholy antagonisms. While this does not weaken 
his obligation to give up his sins and press to the 
Savior, it strengthens his vicious disinclination to do 
so. But if all testify how sweet the joys of religion 
are, how richly they reward the surrender of earthly 
good, and they are seen to bind together with cords 
of love all who taste them; the sinner even in all his 
blindness, will feel constrained to give up all for them. 
"I would not seem to disparage the sovereignty 
of God in bringing sinners according to his own 
purpose ; for that sovereignty hath absolutely or- 
dained the means, and a desire to dispense with 
them is no less than an affectation to destroy his 
sovereignty itself. Submission is the subject's first 
duty. To study the reasons of his sovereign's will is 
an after duty and privilege. To end a dangerous 
hesitation in this instance, I would only advert to 
such reasons as may be manifest. God requires our 



174 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION. 

union to bring the sinner; and to encourage his sur- 
render to Christ. 

" Having made the surrender, and entered God's 
audience chamber, where he hears the whispers of 
love in which his adoption is declared and ratified ; 
where his nakedness is covered with a robe of spot- 
less purity; where the riches of his inheritance are 
unvailed to the eye of faith, and health and gladness 
invigorate and reassure his trembling spirit, he then 
knows for himself that the Lord is gracious, and 
there is advantage in praying unto bim. But till 
the sinner comes to this point, he is in darkness; he 
knows not what he does in despising the Lord; needs 
to be led. Spiritual pleasures are to him like non- 
sense. Like the swine he keeps his eyes on the 
earth. If he ever looks up, a cloud of sin vails from 
him the glories of the sun of righteousness. He feels 
not their soul-ravishing splendor and power. God 
has appointed a compensation for this disinclination 
to look directly to Jesus. As the moon floats ever 
in the dazzling effulgence of the sun, and is bright 
with a borrowed splendor, which she flings in mel- 
lowed radiance upon us, even when the huge bulk of 
earth has rolled between us and the sun himself, so 
Christians are illuminated by the light and glory 
which beam on them from the Sun of righteousness, 
and. they walking ever amid the sinners of earth, 
cast that mellowed light in inviting softness on those 
who will not look to the Savior. And thus, like the 
revelation of the incomprehensible Deity manifest in 
flesh, the mysterious spirituality of religion incarnate 
dwells among men. It is thus that we may behold, 
study, admire, and embrace the religion we should, 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 175 

as sinners, never notice or desire, if it were not thus 
brought down to our comprehension. Even then, 
indeed, it is hard for the blinded sinner to give up 
all for it. 

"]N~ow, let all G-od's people, those luminaries he hath 
lit to chase off the gloom of earth, pour their blended 
light upon the darkness which surrounds sinners ; 
and what wonders must be wrought ! O, would not 
these moral clouds be dispelled, and the divine efful- 
gence poured in undimmed glory around us? The 
thought that this gloom is the deeper for our divi- 
sions, should make us pant and sigh with impatience 
for the knowledge how we may aid in overcoming it. 

"4. The nature of man requires the union of Chris- 
tians in order to the world's conversion. He is a 
creature of sense — in a world of sense — influenced 
mainly by objects of sense. The constant and inti- 
mate presence of these renders difficult the exercise 
even of his intellectual powers. Abstractions require 
effort. Sensible objects and images write their un- 
bidden impress on the mind. Eeiigion is eminently 
an abstraction. Seclusion from all exciting scenes 
and cares is essential to the exercise of faith; and 
its daughter, Hope, is most cheerful when quietly 
attended by Meditation. We must court the influ- 
ence of abstractions. We can scarce resist that of 
sense. Hence man is as the company he keeps; 
takes character from his relations, and from his vo- 
cation. Theory is comparatively powerless. Exam- 
ple is the talisman of moral assimilation ; the alchemy 
that fashions what it touches. Atheists and materi- 
alists, in practice, belie their own theories. Abstrac- 
tions are weak when opposed by the power of sensi- 



176 the infidel's confession, 

ble motive. If sense thus beclouds intellect even 
when the objects of its exercise may all be agreeable 
to depraved nature, how much more will it mar the 
study of our moral relations, which depravity has 
cursed us with a proneness to despise ! Christianity 
is eminently spiritual ; has nothing sensible but its 
badges, baptism, the supper, its ministry and its 
duties; reveals a spiritual God; gives spiritual life ; 
offers a spiritual heaven ; as its only earnest, gives 
the spirit of adoption ; puts no visible difference 
between the Christian and the sinner. Its joys are 
all spiritual, and though they be high as heaven, the 
unconverted can not understand them. Hence a 
creature of sense prizes not these spiritualities. 
They are foolishness unto him, because they are 
spiritually discerned. As already observed, they 
demand a renunciation of sensible pleasures. 
u Man suspects them insufficient to pay the cost of 
their purchase — the sacrifice of the heart's dearest 
objects. These abstract motives of religion are to 
overcome the more strongly loved objects of sense. 
If we lay Calvinism out of the way — as we generally 
do when we consider the obligation of human works 
and recur to it for the purpose of giving all glory to 
God — the ramparts to be assailed are too strong for 
the powers which storm them. Sensuality disqualifies 
the sinner to estimate the value of religion. The 
glories of an immortal future are eclipsed by the 
glare of painted gewgaws. The loved and the pos- 
sessed jewel must be renounced as the price of the 
untried, the suspected and the despised. The loved 
pleasures of sin must be expelled from the heart, ero 
the sweetness of heavenly comfort can bo tasted. A 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 177 

partial surrender were fruitless as none at all. There 
is no middle ground. Though he who has sur- 
rendered never regrets ; he who has not, still trem- 
bles and fears to venture. He can not taste the sweets 
of pardon to aid that surrender. Faith only can 
light the darkness into which the leap is to be made. 
How hard to believe him we hate ! What concen- 
trated power of Christian testimony is needed that 
the leap will not be made in vain ! How deep the 
soul-struggle in. which the resolve is made/I will go, 
and if I perish, I perish ! I will trust him, though 
he slay me!' Conscfous guilt precludes assurance of 
acceptance. Apprehensions intimidate the soul. O, 
how solicitous to learn if Christians repent the 
change ! He anxiously marks their conduct ; their de- 
votions ; their pleasures. Led to question by their un- 
brotherly conduct, their dissensions and their strifes, he 
wavers. In the subsidence of awakened concern, sin 
tightens its fetters. The strong man armed, retakes 
the palace. The tyrant, sin, as a pitiless murderer, 
smothers, and seeks to crush every hopeful resolve. 
The dominion of the being is again surrendered to 
the Prince of darkness, and to the dangers of impen- 
itency. Christians are revived and brought together. 
A blaze of unsmothered piety reveals the darkness 
and dangers of his impenitency. Christians, in sor- 
rowful deplorings of former coldness and neglect, 
bury sectarian strife. They warn the sinner, and his 
renewed struggle becomes intense. He feels the 
power of their influence, but still loves his suspected 
pleasure. Every subterfuge is sought, and darkness 
more than all others. Gladly would he calm his 
aching heart with a soothing opiate. But every 



178 the infidel s confession, 

earnest Christian he meets sends the arrow of con- 
viction deeper. He finds a sectarian, who, fearing 
that if he should be converted, he might join some 
other sect than his own, treats lightly his sense of 
distress; neither prays for him, warns him, nor in- 
structs him in the way of life. Again his convictions 
die. A few such alternations, and his soul is stupe- 
fied forever, and Satan gains his victim. But why? 
It is granted he was too wicked to believe the gospel. 
The responsibility and wickedness rest on his own 
head, where God has placed them. But the tender 
hearted Christian asks again, why did he not believe? 
He had evidence enough to make him responsible, but 
not enough to make him believe. I discard not the 
glorious truth that conviction, compunction, repent- 
ance and faith are all fruits of the Holy Spirit, and 
can not be produced by the combined power and har- 
monious influence of men and angels, but since God 
has been pleased to aj)point the means in whose 
efficacy his own power shall be magnified and glori- 
fied, we dare not set aside those means and expect 
the ends without them. I repeat it; though he had 
God's Word, yet he hated God, and feared to trust 
him. By the schisms and consequent errors and 
strifes of Christians he was led to doubt the genuine- 
ness of religion. The carnal mind is enmity against 
God; and the heart only wants an apology. He is 
ruined. But the Christian heart is not wholly re- 
lieved by the truth that he is his own destroyer. It 
is pained by the remembrance of any neglect of 
means to lead him to Christ. Christians loved, 
pitied and warned him so little that he suspected 
thoir religion, and thus healed a wound which 



OB, THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 179 

properly nursed and probed by united Christian 
effort, would have driven him to the soul-physician. 

"'When Zion travails, she brings forth sons and 
daughters/ Christian Union tends to bring the 
Church up to that state of travail. 'As iron sharp- 
ened iron, so does the countenance of man his fel- 
low/ The mingling of kindred hearts warms their 
devotions. The sun's collected heat will melt the 
most infusible metals. The earnest heart is like the 
tearful eye : it draws sympathy from the most un- 
feeling. Were all united there would be earnestness ; 
and such as few could resist. The militant hosts of 
Christ would then have no reluctant soldier — no 
halting or timid company. All would harmoniously 
respond to the watchword of the great Captain. J^ew 
courage and devotion would nerve every heart. To 
all would belong the same interests — the same name 
—the same Captain — the same meeting-house, the 
same preacher — the same Sabbath-school — the same 
prayer meeting. They would unite their whole in- 
fluence for good. 

"Under such circumstances every heart doubles its 
boldness. The very scene animates the whole Church. 
Crowds attend public worship where now hundreds 
and thousands stay awa}^. Instead of agitating for 
a time the question, 'Whither shall we go to hear 
the Gospel and worship God?' and then declining 
altogether, they have to decide between going and 
not going. Hence all are apt to go. Many attrac- 
tions for the million are in the undivided crowd. The 
church and the minister, instead of half-pausing to 
decide whether or not to give up in despair, are 
aroused and inspired to earnest effort by the presocic 



180 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

of the crowd who seem to have surrendered them- 
selves to their influence. Beautiful and attractive 
indeed is Zion, and terrible as an army with banners. 
No fears of rivalry swell the heart with jealousy and 
pride to chill the general ardor. 

"Such influence hath God appointed to convert the 
world. A fearful cataract of wide-spreading waters, 
sweeping before their violent and irresistible might, 
every natural obstruction, may illustrate the power 
of such influence in bearing down the ramparts of 
sin, breaking the fetters which bind the heart to its 
iniquities, and in pressing the reluctant soul to 
Christ. To resist it, man's nature must be changed. 
Fiends only, it should seem, would remain unmoved 
and incorrigible. Christians, like gathered fire- 
brands, glow and burn with heaven -inspired zeal. 
The moving weight of influence gathers momentum 
by its own action. The very citadels of sin, in 
the breasts of the wricked, are stormed and demol- 
ished by the holy violence which moves and sweetly 
compels sinners to the Gospel feast. They are cap- 
tured for the Prince, through the love of his subjects. 

"Such influence must be superadded to God's "Word 
for the world's conversion, because He requires it. 
He has ordained the influence, promised the power 
of his Spirit to accompany its exertion, constituted 
man such that he needs it, and that when all are 
combined, he will be saved. Yes, this is the cable 
which Divine love hath manufactured, and drops into 
the pit of moral ruin to lift man from his deep woe 
to a shining estate in Heaven. Who, then — O, in the 
name of weeping mere}' — who would willingly, with 
the sharp knife of schism, cut that only cord? It is 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 181 

the alarm to a slumbering world to prepare to 
meet God. "Who would muffle that sound, and thus 
seal the death-sleep forever? It is the elixir of life 
to the dying. "Who would deny it to the expiring 
patient? Not he who loves the Savior, or souls that 
are dying. Never ! 

"5. The work of the Church requires the union of 
God's people. Not only is needed a concentration 
of influence, prayer, and love that can never exist 
without union; but also ministers and money to ac- 
complish the mission of the church. These facilities 
are curtailed by disunion, w T hile the demands are 
proportionately increased. 

" There is an increased demand for money. Instead 
of one common interest, a plurality of conflicting 
interests are to be sustained, each at immense cost. 
Our village, for instance, numbers over 2,000 inhab- 
itants. We have Presbyterians — Old School and 
New School — Methodists, Episcopalians, and Ee- 
formers. After diligent inquiry, I have learned that 
the Presbyterian church building cost $14,500 ; the 
Methodist, which is just completed, $17,000 ; the one 
the Reformers are building will cost about $12,000. 
The Episcopal house is old, but fine, and is worth at 
least $12,000. The New School Presbyterians have 
none at all. The first of these will seat only about 
500 persons; the second, 642; the third, 960; and 
the fourth, about 610. In churches, therefore, our 
village has invested the amount of $55,000. And 
there being 1,264 white inhabitants over six years 
of age, no house in town will hold them all. Now, 
unite all the Christians, and destroy sectarian pride, 
which would be done by that movement, because 



182 the infidel's confession, 

there would be no sectarian rivalry, and with 815,- 
000 I will build a good, comfortable church, that can 
seat 2500 people, and it shall be so plain as to invite 
the poor as well as the rich. Our town will then be 
better supplied with room for public worship than 
now, and 840,000 will be saved for other religious 
purposes. ISTor is this all. It takes, on an average, 
81,600 to keep all these houses supplied with sex- 
tons, fuel, light, Sabbath-school libraries, etc., etc. 
Six hundred dollars would meet the annual expenses 
of the large house I would build. This would save 
$1,000 per year, which is now misspent. The 810,000 
at ten per cent, would yield 81,000 per year. Add 
the $1,000 saved from house-keeping, and we have 
85,000 annually wasted, in only two ways. 

"]S[ow, estimate the cost of preaching. Pride of 
party here also does its work. One thousand two 
hundred dollars per year would easily sustain a min- 
ister and his family in our village. But there are 
four living among us, and sectarian pride requires 
their houses, their wardrobes, and their tables to be 
more costly than need requires. 

IC The Presbyterians pay their preacher $1,600, the 
Reformers give theirs the same, and the Methodists 
give theirs 81,800. The New School Presbyterians 
give a preacher 8100 to come twice a month and 
preach for them in the Court-house. The Episcopa- 
lians give theirs 81,500. Preaching annually costs us 
86,900. Allowing 81,200 to pay the preacher who 
should fill the large house, we save again 85,700. 
Making in all, 810,700, which would annually be 
saved, and every religious party be supplied with 
preaching which is not now the case. 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 183 

"It may be said that while these figures suit our 
wealthy community, they will not apply to many 
other places. But they will serve to illustrate the 
principle, even more forcibly, in poor communities, 
where all the strength is required to build one house 
and sustain one preacher. Schism, then, makes us 
waste 110,700 of our Lord's money annually ! 

"Nor is this all. Ours is a reading community. We 
have three booksellers. They have sold, during the 
last twelve months, $804 worth of controversial 
books. These, too, are the fruits of schism. They 
could not otherwise exist. The time employed in 
reading a bad book is worse than wasted. It is 
murdered. From our postofiice have been taken 
only a fraction under $1,000 worth of denomina- 
tional papers and periodicals. These are the organs 
of their several schisms. It is impossible to com- 
pute the loss of piety which the belligerent spirit of 
all these entails on their readers. 

"There are six endowed denominational colleges in 
our State, numbering altogether 1,143 students, and 
147 professors, who might all be preachers, I sup- 
pose. These colleges and their endowment funds 
amount to $3,200,000. "Were all these students in 
one college — as they might be, if Christians were all 
united — they would require, allowing twenty stu- 
dents to each professor, only fifty-eight professors. 
The interest that would thus be saved in one year 
would be over $200,000. These figures are required 
by schisms. 

"The great cause of Missions, too, is crippled by 
schism. This demands our richest offerings. The 
wailing cry of dying millions from every region bids 



184 THE IXF1DEL' ri CONFESSION. 

us, 'Come over and hel}).' I know not how much 
our people give to send Bibles and ministers to the 
heathen ; but from the calculations already made, we 
could, if it were not for schism, give annually 810,- 
700 more than ^ye do to the cause of Missions. Then, 
upon the efficiency of what is thus devoted, schism 
makes another awful encroachment. Different agen- 
cies, publishing houses, Bible translators and colpor- 
teurs are to be sustained. Each organization has to 
buy and propel its own machinery for raising and 
appropriating money for the printing and distribu- 
tion of religious literature. Nearly a fourth is thus 
required to oil machinery — so that only a small part 
of what is given bears directly on the objects for 
which it is given. Who docs not shudder in view 
of these startling truths ! 

'•But worse still. The demand for ministers is in- 
creased, while the supply is diminished. Five min- 
isters are required in our village. Were all God's 
people united, one preacher could do more good than 
all do now — would secure greater harmony of effort 
in every good enterprise. 

""When he undertook a good work, he would not 
need to overpower the opposing influence of four 
rival preachers and their members. They would 
not turn their influence against the impressions for 
good which might be made by the Gospel. Now it 
is otherwise. Let one denomination begin an effort 
for good, and the others feel in conscience bound 
to discourage it. The minister who leads the effort 
is dispirited. One pulls down, while another builds up. 
This distracts the sinner's mind. He can not believe 
these antagonisms are produced by the self-same 



OR THE POWER OE CHRISTIAN UNION. 185 

Spirit and the same Bible. He is nerved against all 
efforts for his good. If all considered the same min- 
ister their own, he could exert a # far better influence. 

"He could preach to all the people within two 
miles of his church. There would not be needed 
half so much pastoral visiting as now ; because at 
least half the pastor's visits are generally employed 
in removing from the minds of some of the members 
the persuasion that some other religion will do bet- 
ter than the one to which he belongs. 

"Schism is a fruitful source of proselytism. Ignorant 
members have many difficulties thrown into the way 
even of holding undoubted truth. They are apt to 
suggest these to their pastor, that he may remove 
them. There is less sense of the Divine presence 
generally felt by the pastor and his members while 
thus engaged, than if in the effort to gain a higher 
sense of God's grace in the heart. More time is 
required in pastoral visitation. The pastor could, if 
all were united, by the aid of seven or eight dea- 
cons, supply sixteen square miles with ministerial 
labor. The other four preachers could each, in like 
manner, supply a country district of eight miles 
square. But now, in each district of that size, from 
three to five denominations are struggling for exist- 
ence. They can't sustain a prayer-meeting or a 
Sabbath-school without uniting. They can not 
unite for a Sabbath-school, because the}' have, at 
different and distant points, to attend preaching. 
Each sect has so few children, and so few teachers, 
that it has not the heart to keep up such an enter- 
prise. None have regular preaching of their own 
doctrine on every Sabbath. They have, for reasons 
16 



186 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION; 

before shown, but little prayer or sympathy for 
other sects. Their preachers are stinted in their 
support. More than half of them waste their unc- 
tion of soul in devotion to other pursuits for a living. 
They seem not to be sensible that God thus punishes 
their neglect to give prominence to the great and 
neglected petition of the text. But do I not speak 
at hazard when I say, 'God punishes them?' 
They rather plunge into a labyrinth of evils involv- 
ing their own punishment. Not only is increased 
the demand for ministers, but the supply is dimin- 
ished. Sectarian pride recoils at the stammering of 
a beginner. Our gifts, like the hidden talent, rust, 
and are often lost, in the consequent disuse. We 
lose the sense of obligation to make preachers, in 
the fear of sectarian scoffs at their beginning. We 
often send them to college untried, and have them 
learn the preaching trade. Without the unction of 
a call, and a heavenly inspiration of earnestness, 
they are weights to their office, and curses to their 
churches. The great passion for a talented ministry, 
awakened by sectarian pride, keeps from the sacred 
work many of God's chosen vessels of mercy, until 
age begins to mark their decline. 
"The sentiment is, 'We don't wish a preacher 
unless other sects will envy us on his account.' Not 
only does this keep many from the ministry, but it 
hinders our prayers for those we have. We are too 
proud of their talents to fear they will fail ; hence 
do not pray for them to be sustained. Xor are we 
fully sensible how much they need the aid of our 
cooperation. They are thought sufficient for al! 
things. 



OH THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 187 

"Consider now the effect of schism on the spirit- 
uality of our preachers. One half their studies 
are directed to the combat of error. This freezes 
the emotions. Love grows faint, and faith is 
dim. The soul seldom bathes in the rich and deep 
fountain of emotive theology. It stalks on the icy 
surface of chilling speculation or of freezing ex- 
ternals. Hence, preachers use God's truth as a 
meager traffic, instead of pleading it as if it were 
' fire in their bones/ They are chilled, too, in part, 
by the size of their congregations. Instead of fifty 
or two hundred, give a minister twenty-five hundred 
listeners, and if he has any soul, you will rouse it 
1 from center to circumference/ 

il ~Nor does the spirituality of the private members 
suffer less than that of the ministers. While the 
latter fill the tide of spiritual life with icebergs of 
controversy and speculation, the former ride on them 
spiritually frozen and famishing. Such sermons must 
be heard. Such literature must be read. It is said, 
c Much important instruction is thus found in a small 
compass.' The Bible once read through will give 
all that instruction which is worth having. I fear the 
best apology for the reading of schismatic literature 
is that we can not find its principles taught in the 
Bible any way, and must find them, if at all, in con- 
troversial works. While reading these books, we 
proportionably neglect the Bible. And hence the 
awful amount of Bible ignorance, in which alone can 
be planted and matured the seeds of schism. Wo 
intend to find in a little space the wholo will of C4od 
on somo important point, and behold, we are pres- 
ently cheated by the sentiments of men for those of 



188 the infidel's confession, 

God, and we know so little of the Bible as not to 
perceive our deception. Such persons are very 
clamorous in their resolutions to be what their 
books require. 

"Schismatics, often without vital piety, are perfectly 
satisfied with mere sectarianism. Their very attitude 
requires them to controvert a great deal. Christians 
often urge them to give up their unscriptural features. 
They are compelled either to do so, or to advocate 
them. In the advocacy they become warm, and are 
apt to forget the importance of being any thing more 
than 'good Methodists/ 'good Presbyterians,' 
'good Reformers,' etc. Now these words only de- 
note firm adherence to sects. Such feelings may 
influence even the unconverted. A fear of losing 
those members of a sect who are seen to be des- 
titute of grace, now, makes the minister slow to tell 
them he doubts the security of their condition. If 
they are good sectarians, the preacher is tempted to 
think it sufficient. 

"Some think schism productive of Christian activity. 
It is argued that one sect operates to provoke an- 
other, and thus all are made active. The activity is 
of a suspicious character. It is prompted by party 
feeling, and not by an unmingled desire for the glory 
of God. li can not be blessed of God. Nor are 
the feelings it generates consistent with real piety. 
Love often wounded waxes cold and dies. While the 
hosts of God devour each other, all are faint and 
dispirited. 

"Now, dry up the source of all these evils. Min- 
isters will be found in almost, if not quite, sufficient 
numbers to supply the demand. Moans for their 



OK THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 189 

support will abound so that the poorest regions can 
have the gospel preached to them. The preachers 
will not have to divide their labors between the 
pulpit and the farm, or the schoolroom, or the 
merchandise, or other avocations in which they now 
seek their living. Villages would not be rent into 
four or five antagonizing religious interests. But all 
their inhabitants would make the same house the 
sanctuary of their public devotions. They would all 
pray for the same preacher. The same voice would 
rally them all to live near the Savior. All would 
sustain the same Sabbath-school ! Our town could 
then sustain 21 missionaries more than it now does^ 
and give them over $500, each, per year, and that 
without an increased expense. Put this thought in 
another form: TVe as Christians indulge an evil in 
our town, which in effect, imprisons from year to 
year, 21 of God's ministers. Allowing to each one 
2,000 heathens to lead in the way of life, we with- 
hold from 42,000 perishing souls the means of life 
and salvation, so long as we may remain divided as 
the body of Christ. Let us be united, and our home 
preachers will have their congregations crowded by 
hundreds, and they will preach as if it were worth 
while. The costly and gorgeous machinery with 
which the attendance of crowds is now sought would 
give place in the sanctuary to the voice of joy and 
praise. 

"Who then can oppose the union of God's peojDle? 
It must not be forgotten that sinners will then be 
drawn to Christ through heaven's appointed in- 
fluence by thousands and millions. This is the in- 
evitable ef>W't our Savior has ordained in connection 



190 the infidel's confession, 

with its own means or cause ; the union of all his 
people. Many of his people have here determined 
in His name to form such a union, and faith needs 
no better argument than the penitent hundreds 
whose sobs you now hear. Were such results ever 
known to follow a few sermons before? Yes, on the 
day of Pentecost similar circumstances existed, and 
similar results followed. God's people were all to- 
gether in one place. No dissenting voice spread dis- 
trust of the gospel among the listening thousands. 
With one voice the appeal was made. Such have 
always been the results where the people of God 
Avere all one. A few days after this wonderful re- 
vival 5,000 were converted under a single sermon. 
Such results always will attend such circumstances. 
Christ has promised it. He can not deceive. O, 
what an argument for our oneness ! Our neighbors 
and kindred will go to hell without it, whatever 
efforts we make in the absence of it to arrest and 
convert them. But feeling anticipates the time for 
exhortation. Could we see all the appalling evils 
of schism, exhortation would be needless. 

"Part of our duty is to carry the gospel to the 
heathens. Schisms among its believers forbid them 
receive it. It claims to be the gospel of peace. Ke- 
vealed in that light, it is expected to calm all the 
belligerent feelings of its subjects. Dissensions among 
them belie one of its most prominent and essential 
features. The whole is rejected as an imposture. 
Our missionaries often make heathen ground the 
arena of fierce debate for the settlement of Baptism, 
or something else, which I awfully fear God will 
curse anv of us for savin°' he has left in doubt. For 



OR THE POWER OP CHRISTIAN UNION. 191 

the dissensions among Christians on this and kindred 
subjects, I declare that I have never seen any better 
reason, than a desire to contend. They surely would 
not allow themselves to do so, if they saw the awful 
consequences. Contend ! while sinners in the excite- 
ment of the -contest plunge into hell? Contend ! 
With whom ? With the blood-bought companions of 
eternal inheritance ! Contend? About what? Wheth- 
er we may safely change baptism from a burial to a 
sprinkling ! God forgive the sin of such a contest ! 
I can sympathize with no exj>ression of difficulty on 
such a subject. 

"Contend? For what? The baptism of uncon- 
scious babes ! When the Bible clearly requires the 
baptism of none but believers ! Contend ! When a 
mite of Christian charity would bury, in a cloud of 
oblivion, the insignificant difference ! Yes ; God's 
people carry the gospel of peace to the benighted, 
and plead with them to receive it; but the blood of 
strife on the garments of its advocates, bids heath- 
ens beware of imposture ! Schism not only dries 
up our resources of ministers and money for the 
evangelization of earth, but vails in a cloud of sus- 
picion the means we are enabled, in our distracted 
condition, to employ. Efficiency is, therefore, almost 
wholly forestalled. We are an army in confusion. 
Our strength is wasted upon our fellow soldiers. The 
unbroken phalanx of deriding foes are amused and 
entertained by our confusion. They laugh to scorn 
our purpose to subdue them to the Prince of our 
Salvation. Dispirited, like the hosts of Israel in the 
assault of Ai, we are driven before our enemies. 
Our very attitude declares we disregard the word of 



192 the infidel's confession, 

our commander. Must I tell it for shame to him 
who said it? Methought I heard one say, 'We 
can not understand tne instructions of our captain. 
He has told us of one Lord, one faith, and one bap- 
tism, but he has given his will so indefinitely, that 
we can not for our lives understand what he means. 
He says the way of duty is so plain that the wa}-- 
faring man, though a fool, need not err therein ; but 
we have found him vastly mistaken. We have 
closed our ears to all others but himself; have taken 
the Bible alone, and read and prayed again and 
again, to learn what he requires us to do that we 
might act in harmony; but to learn it is impossible. 
He seems to have intended for some good, incompre- 
hensible by us, that we should not be agreed and 
united in carrying out His will.' Let the light of 
reason cover the sentiment with shame and blushes! 
It is a slander on my Savior, and it was forged by 
the father of lies. Let the mantle of infernal dark- 
ness shroud it forever ! "We are confused only be- 
cause 'we heap to ourselves leaders after the flesh.' 
The voice of Christ, heard b}^ all, would still this 
tempest; would calm and harmonize these wrang- 
ling purposes and conflicting labors. O, heed that 
voice, and let the warfare cease ! Heed ! and capture 
thousands to Christ. 

"6. /Schism is a source of corruption. To receive 
an unworthy church member injures the piety and 
purity of the body. He is like a leper in the camp 
— like leaven in meal; he imparts his character by 
contagion. Vicious example is an irresistible means 
of moral assimilation. ' Evil communications cor- 
rupt good manners.' It deserves repetition, that a 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 193 

pure church is the world's only hope of conversion. 
An impure member soon assimilates many. The 
whole church becomes less pure. Schism tends to 
the introduction and retention, in the churches, of 
improper materials. Each sect becomes a rival in 
the suit for members. Barnes and numbers are 
deemed essential. The church ceases to be regarded 
a home for the pure in sentiment and in heart. 
Wealth and numbers make it swerve from its high 
position. Truth is withheld because repulsive to 
some character it courts. Error is dignified by the 
complacent embrace of charity (?). The influential 
and the great, whose names are deemed l towers of 
strength/ are often encouraged to enter the church 
without ' the one thing needful,' through the influ- 
ence of those who would 'glory in the flesh.' The 
sentiment is, C{ if we repel this man till he may be- 
come a Christian, he may join some other sect. 
There are so many whose doors are open to all, we 
can't be sustained if we do not adopt the attractive 
machinery and principles which,, in their influence, 
swell the lists of other sects/ The rivalry of schism 
at first introduced infants. The monster, Eomanism, 
in its incipiency was divided into the Unitarian and 
the Trinitarian parties. Before this the Catechu- 
mens, who were persons in legal infancy, but had 
been taught the duties and obligations of religion, 
had to make their own profession of faith. For a 
long time they could not join till twelve years of 
age. After the rise of these two parties, first the 
one and then the other diminished the years neces- 
sary to secure membership, until age ceased to bo 
regarded a qualification for membership altogether. 



194 the infidel's confession, 

For this plausible explanation how infants came to 
bo regarded church members, while the Bible is 
silent about it, I am indebted to Brother Smedley, 
who showed it to me in Robinson's History of Bap- 
tism. Tt is the only explanation I have ever met, 
and I can not help confiding in its truth. It shows 
what I am urging — the evils of schisms in receiving 
and retaining unconverted members. Kivalry is es- 
sentially involved in the existence of schisms, and 
rivalry can not resist the tendencies here noted. 
Hence the church smothers her light with an incu- 
bus of unspiritual members. Were there only one 
church there could be no rivalry. As schism has 
given birth to infant membership, we can trace in 
that one thing a legion of its evils. I have, in the 
last few days, been astounded by the results of a 
little investigation into these things. Where in- 
fant baptism has become general, believers' baptism 
is lost, and the sects and preachers are ignorant of 
conversion, and the church is indistinguishable from 
the world. The ministers, as well as the churches, 
are corrupted by schism. Extreme views are the 
basis of all antagonisms in religion. One extreme 
begets another. It is almost impossible for minis- 
ters ever to find and display the golden mean. Sinco 
one error begets another, schism necessarily becomes 
the mother of schisms, and hence it is impossible to 
predict the number yet to be born, unless the source 
is dried up. Let us. then, lav our hearts and heads 
to work to this end. 

"III. The Causes of Schisms. When a physician 
knows the nature and the causes of a disease he is 
better prepared to ivonf it To remove the cause 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 195 

will not always remove the effect without other help, 
but in this case I believe it will. Among these 
causes I will note, 

"1. A want of acquaintance with the Bible, Thous- 
ands study the Bible by proxy. They think it not 
meant for private interpretation. They have their 
view on the expression, 'ISTo Scripture of private in- 
terpretation-' I have seen a translation which 
reads, ' of private impulse.' At all events, while 
the Scriptures require us to make God's Word the 
'man of our counsel/ thousands, it is to be feared, 
feel no obligation to found their belief in it alone. 
They are willing to indorse such denominational 
features as their spiritual guides tell them the Bible 
requires. A lady of this community sometime since 
objected to our terms of Christian union, because 
she learned they would reject infant baptism. When 
informed that we intended to organize on principles 
strictly scriptural, she remarked, 'Well, I know 
that is scriptural.' ' If so/ replied I, ' we do n't 
intend to reject it j will you be so good as to show 
us the Scripture for it/ ' Why, said she, in great 
surprise, ' you do n't mean to insinuate that it is 
not scriptural, do you ? ' ' If it is/ said I, ' I have 
never seen any evidence in the Bible to that effect. 
If you will show it to me I shall be heartily glad to 
see and adopt it/ ■ 0/ said she, ' I can't argue it 
with you, but our preacher can. He preached on it 
sometime ago, and proved it.' Xow this is the way 
with hundreds. They believe and practice, in re- 
ligion, not because they know what the Bible re- 
quires, but because their teachers in religion tell 
them the Bible requires thus and so. NTo man ever 



196 THE rSMDEl/s CONFESSIOSj 

found, anywhere within the lids of the Bible, the 
slightest mention of infant baptism, and yet, while 
any ordinary mind could, by reading each chapter 
of the Bible know it is not there, thousands, with 
an assurance, as of truth itself, affirm that it is a 
Bible doctrine. O Christian, in the name of God 
and of truth, let me beg you to say it no more, until 
you can prove it yourself. While this liability to 
imposition is found in the general and criminal 
want of Bible knowledge among Christians, it is 
more natural than wonderful that they will array 
themselves into sects, under human leaders. Let all 
be thoroughly educated in the Bible, and in vain 
are all the efforts of men to marshal them under ban- 
ners inscribed, with human mottoes and human prin- 
ciples. The Bible known is their only religion. If 
the Bible alone teach us, we shall have unity of sen- 
timent. The Bible can not teach one thing to me 
and the opposite to my neighbor. To affirm it, were 
a foul and blasphemous slander of its Author. Let 
him be true and clear, though every man a double- 
tongued liar. He can not deceive. 

"2. A blind reverence for tradition is another hotbed 
of schism. Many are dedicated to their schisms in 
infancy. As Hannibal was, at eight years of age, by 
his father, Hamilchar, brought to the altar and made 
to swear eternal hate to Borne, so are hundreds of 
infants brought in a most solemn manner, by their 
parents, to the altar of their schisms, and dedicated 
to them in that tender age. Frequently reminded 
of their parents' vows, as they grow up. they gradu- 
ally indorse those vows. Their consciences were 
kidnapped, and hereditary religion being substituted. 



OK, THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 197 

they dare not think for themselves. The spell of 
education is irresistible. Ask why they can not re- 
nounce their sectarian tenets. They tell you that 
principles, believed and adopted by so many good 
and great men, can not be wrong, nor unscriptural. 
Ask them for their Scripture proof of such tenets, 
and although they can tell you when they heard 
their preacher prove them by the Bible, and ac- 
knowledge that their consciences could not be easy 
without adopting them as practical views, they will 
confess that they know not where one Bible text is 
to justify their practice. While such a blind devo- 
tion to the teachings of men holds spell-bound so 
many of God's people, and while men are so proud 
of influence as to try their power in any thing in 
which they can lead, is it wonderful that we do not 
harmonize in the interpretation of our Savior's will? 
Not at all. Jesus explained it to the Pharisees when 
he said, l Now do ye reject the commandment of God 
by your tradition.' Again said he, 'How can ye 
believe on me, who receive honor one from another ? ' 
It is hard for us to reject a notion of our fathers. 
But we must renounce everything for Christ, and for 
the union he prayed for. Even parents, and houses, 
and lands must be despised in comparison with him. 
"3. Another cause of the existence and propagation 
of schism is, that we are too insensible of oar indi- 
vidual responsibility to God in the matter. "We are too 
apt, when forced to look the awful evils of schisms 
into the face, to forestall a conviction of duty by the 
conclusion that the evils are of a congregational 
character, and are beyond the reach of individual 
effort to correct them ; and yet they can be corrected 



198 THE INFIDEL/S COHFJBSSIOMj 

only by individual effort. A congregation is com- 
posed of individuals, and the only way to remove 
the evils of a congregation is to remove them from 
the individuals. Should just one individual to-day 
become interested to see these alarming evils re- 
moved, and determine to devote his life to efforts 
for that purpose, he could do nothing toward it but as 
an individual, to abjure all schismatic principles and 
practices in religion, and as an individual, to place 
himself on the scriptural basis, and stand there im- 
movable as a rock embedded in the billows of the 
ocean. Then, if you have influence at all, it will be 
felt in that way. But you might as well hope to 
move the ocean without interrupting its drops as to 
remove schisms from among Christians without in- 
fluencing the actions of each individual Christian. 
Do you belong to a religious schism ? to a church 
holding even one principle, as a term of organiza- 
tion, which you can not, as an individual, prove 
scriptural to the entire satisfaction of all who love 
God? If so, while your present connection con- 
tinues, you are, by the full weight of your influence, 
an advocate for all the soul-destroying evils of 
schism. Should you pause to ask what your breth- 
ren in schism will do, you will thus lose sight of 
your individual duty, and, in effect, sanction the re- 
fusal of the whole crowd to do their duty. The 
right way to remove evils in religion is to labor for 
that end as if we thought nobody responsible but 
our individual selves. This is true of all religious 
evils, but remarkably so of schism. To illustrate 
the point, we know there is but one right, while 
there may be ten thousand wrongs. Only one 



OK THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 199 

church is right, while all that differ from it are 
wrong. We hold this convention to examine care- 
fully the claims of all the churches here represented, 
to see if any of them is right in all its features. 
Should we find one to be right, every individual will 
be in duty bound to join that church. Suppose it is 
the Episcopalian, then Bro. Smedley will, as an indi- 
didual, have to leave the Baptists and join that 
church. If he waits to see what his brethren in 
Virginia will do. he thus declares their claims upon 
him superior to God's, and places the discharge of 
his duty on this principle — <I will give up my sin 
and do my duty if all who have joined me in my 
sin will now join me in the duty. But if not, I will 
stand by them and sustain them in their sin.' This 
is the principle on which many sinners delay repent- 
ance. They forget that as individual sinners they 
are to meet in judgment an individual God. 

( Encompassed by a throng, 

On numbers they depend ; 
They say so many can't be wrong, 
And miss a happy end.' 

"JSTot only Bro. Smedley, but all others not belonging 
to the Episcopal church, would be bound to join it. 
or stand willfully responsible for all the crushing 
consequences which we have seen flow from schism. 
If the Baptist church be the one, then we are all. 
by the same power of motive, and under the same 
awful penalty, in duty bound to join that. If you 
wait to consult your parents, preachers or brethren, 
you, in effect, ask men whether or not you may 
safely obey God. Yes, my brethren, wo must forgot 
that others, ;»s well as ourselves, arc responsible to 



200 the infidel's confession, 

Clod, iii our own deep sense of duty, and haste to 
comply with his requirements. Wait for nothing 
but a sense of personal duty to God. ' We ought 
to obey God rather than man/ If you all feel your 
individuality as you should, we shall see an expres- 
sion of your resolves to-day. The effect of obe- 
dience on your standing and relationships will be 
immediately discarded. Though martyrdom be the 
consequence, duty will be the aim. 

"4. A want of love to dying sinners may be one cause 
of disunion among professed Christians. I say 
among l professed Christians' for ' all are not Israel 
who are of Israel/ Many who loudly profess re- 
ligion in heart, really in works, deny the Lord. 
The Scripture basis and duty of union being dis- 
played, will infallibly attract such as fear God, and 
love and pity sinners. They will not confer with flesh 
and blood. From this point can be drawn a weighty 
motive to union. Without God's appointed instru- 
mentality for converting the world, you see sinners 
perishing by scores and hundreds. We are, as a 
people, but little better off than the heathens ; un- 
less an improved knowledge of duty is butter for the 
lost than ignorance. 

"Hast thou a wicked child? Learn hence that all 
thy labors to win him may be in vain without the 
union of Christians. The Bible sets forth the idea 
that it generally is so. Shouldst thou not then 
labor to find the means of uniting all Christians? 
As you love the offspring of your own body, you 
should seek, by all lawful means, this end. While 
disunited you can not enjoy a deep and thorough 
revival in your respective communities. 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 201 

"There has been an increasing spirit of prayer for 
union in this vicinity for several weeks. Most of 
the Christians here seem resolved to unite, though 
it may cost a sacrifice of every sentiment that it will 
not wound the conscience to yield. This spirit, so 
in accordance with the genius of the Bible, seems to 
meet the pleasure of God. His people seem to feel 
each other's woes. Sympathy and love are the 
heaven-wrought chains which bind their hearts to- 
gether, as a rich chaplet for the brow of Jesus. 
Their souls are banqueting on the daily manna of 
the Savior's love. Unnumbered sinners are seeking 
the Lord. More than three scores are already re- 
joicing in the pearl of great price. It seems that 
the great deep of Infidelity is broken up. Those 
who have hitherto seemed sealed over to hardness, 
are now submissive and earnest inquirers after the 
way of life. And mark with what bold hearts G-ocl's 
people are seen to attack wickedness in high places, 
Many, whose piety has been smothered to death, as 
it were, beneath a thick vail of prejudice and bigo- 
try, are now radiant with a halo of unsullied graces. 
A practical commentary on our Savior's declaration, 
' Ye are the light of the world/ is now published 
among us in the impressive type of Christian char- 
acter and Christian conduct. 

"In the dawn of this light, philosophy and natural 
religion have vanished, like stars before the arisen 
sun. The icebergs of sin in rebel breasts are dissolv- 
ing in the kindling blaze of earnest Christianity. 
Can he who loves dying sinners willingly east a 
damper into this holy fire? Surely never! He 
would rather, far rather, add to the power by which 



202 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

sin-fettered souls are drawn to Christ — would gladly 
raise the flame of love, and zeal, and faith, and hope, 
till all beneath the dark canopy of depravity should 
be consumed, and peace, and joy, and love, the 
happy attendants of purity, from the unblighted 
plains of Elysian felicity should visit our redeemed 
world, and scatter the seed of ambrosial fruits. Yes; 
Sectarianism, the main clog with which Satan hin- 
ders the usefulness and happiness of Christians, 
would be dead, and its requiem would be chanted 
by the infant voices of unnumbered babes in Christ. 
"Sectarian bigotry, it is confessed, is the most effi- 
cient tool of Satan for the destruction of souls. But 
what is it? The world may not have seriously 
thought of its real nature. It is generally under- 
stood to mean that its subject unwaveringly contends 
for the rectitude of his own party and principles, 
while ho as steadfastly rejects all that oppose his as 
wrong. There was scarcely ever a greater mistake. 
Sectarian bigotry is the disposition to reject princi- 
ples acknowledged right, because opposed to the 
principles which we hold, and intend to hold, for 
reasons involved in neither the principles themselves 
nor in their legitimate tendencies. Every advocate 
of infant baptism, who has examined and found no 
evidence of it in the Bible, but is determined to 
hold and teach it, as a Bible doctrine, for some rea- 
son he is ashamed to avow, as, for instance, to get 
members into his sect before their sense of propriety 
shall forbid it, or to condiment the wisdom of those 
who gave his own infancy its benefits — every such 
person is a sectarian bigot. I have heard the Bap- 
tists styled sectarian bigots, because they profess to 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 203 

think themselves the only church of God on earth, 
and give that as the reason why they can fraternize 
with no other. This is the very reason why I 
should consider them perfectly free from bigotry. 
If they swerve in practice, and give evidence of fel- 
lowship for opposing principles, they virtually ac- 
knowledge themselves deceptions in avowing their 
own. One can not believe a proposition both true 
and false at the same time. 

"I once heard a good man, in an enthusiastic de- 
claration of his religious liberality, declare that he 
could pray for the prosperity of one denomination 
as well as of another — that he could take unaffected 
pleasure in seeing people connect themselves with 
the most corrupt religious sects on earth, and would 
far rather have any religion at all than none. Though 
I, and numbers of others who l\eard it, considered 
it a declaration that he had no principles at all, 
yet I knew him to be a good man, and approached 
him with the affectionate suggestion, that he could 
join our union without sacrifice of principle; and 
was astounded by his solemn protestation that he 
could not do it, though the world's conversion 
hinged on that act. Denying that infant baptism 
saved its subject, or in any material degree affected 
its spiritual condition, he still said ho would not re 
nounce it for the union of all (rod's people, and for 
all the glorious consequences our Savior has con- 
nected with it. With no sense of obligation to hold 
it as a conscientious principle, he is immovably re- 
solved to hold it as a practical sentiment, though 
the community where he holds his responsibilities 
should sink to hell through his obstinate devotion 



204 the infidel's confession, 

to that sentiment. Though he is here to-day, and 
may hold me as an enemy for telling the truth, yet 
a principle of duty to God and to man requires me 
to pronounce it sectarian bigotry in its last and 
most improved edition. He surely believes that his 
holding an erroneous view will make it better than 
God's truth. Never was a Pharisee more bigoted. 
Nor can I believe he fully knows his own heart 
when he thinks he can pray for other sects than his 
own. I frankly confess that though there is not a 
meetinghouse in this town which I did not take the 
lead in helping to build, I now, from a sense of duty, 
pray for the downfall of every sect in our commu- 
nity. I can't pray for Christian union without doing 
so. For the members of these sects I have no un- 
kind feelings ; but for the sects themselves I have a 
hatred as deep and strong as my love to God, to 
souls, and to the Bible. This feeling may be igno- 
rantly branded as bigotry, but it is far from it. If 
our chairman profess to believe the Baptists right, 
while he obstinately holds principles opposed to them, 
he is a bigot. He must think his indorsement of an 
error will make it preferable to the truth. He ad- 
mits that they have the truth, and that he is opposed 
to them, and yet he declares his position better than 
theirs. This is bigotry in all its fullness. Whoever, 
then, admits his view untenable, and yet strives to 
maintain it, and deems it uncharitable in others not 
to indorse it, while they conscientiously hold the op- 
posite as true, is a most arrant bigot. If the Bap- 
tists claim to be the only church, as they are repre- 
sented as doing, and at the same time admit the cor- 
rectness of opposite principles, they are bigots for 



Oil THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 205 

not yielding their principles for those they acknow- 
ledge true. 

81 have been specific on this point, because I have 
very often heard the charge of bigotry preferred by 
the most consummate bigots against those entirely 
free from it. To be consistent is never to be big- 
oted - 

"IV. The union of God's people is desirable for 
its own sake. Its absence is the aching void in the 
great heart of Christendom — 'tis the lost treasure 
from the temple of our God — the jewel from the 
crown of the Lamb's wife. Its restoration would 
cause general joy to all who love the Savior. To 
encourage prayerful eifort to this end, allow, in con- 
clusion of this tedious speech, a few arguments : 

"1. That Christians all have the same spirit, warrants 
the belief that Christian union is practicable. Had 
we spirits naturally at war with each other, the 
hope of union would indeed be chimerical. But 
since 'by one Spirit we are all baptized into one 
body,' there is in our feelings a heaven-born dispo- 
sition 'to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the 
bond of peace.' All God's children have the same 
lineage, are not divided into plebians and nobles. 
The blood of our royal Father runs through all our 
veins. The branches of the same tree might as 
reasonably be expected to yield diverse fruits, as for 
us, unless constrained by criminal means, to antag- 
onize with each other. Deriving life from the same 
Spirit, it is unnatural and soul-distressing to war. 
Variances among Christians always die when both 
parties are revived. This truth always struck me 
as proving the divinity of Christianity. A religion 



206 the infidel's confession, 

that draws its possessors together and inspires sym- 
pathy and love can not be of man. Heartfelt re- 
ligion is essentially attractive. Its existence even 
in two strangers can not be manifest to each other 
without attaching their souls. Christian experience, 
when told to kindred spirits, becomes the necessary 
basis of fellowship. It is perhaps for this reason 
that Christians are exhorted to be always ready to 
give evidence of the hope within them. Nothing in 
regenerate men forbids Christian union, but every- 
thing tends to it. Nothing seems necessary but an 
opportunity. There are perhaps four thousand Chris- 
tians hero to-day, bound by the schismatic fetters 
of different sects. Could you individually divest 
yourselves of those restraints, and stand here, as 
you shall soon stand in the great judgment, sensible 
of accountability only to God, your souls would 
devoutly inquire for the Bible basis of union. Were 
those fetters sundered, you would flow together as 
kindred drops. We can't but love the soul stamped 
with the image of Jesus. All Christians can join 
in the strain : 

''Mid scenes of confusion and creature complaints, 
How sweet to my soul is communion with saints ! 
To find at the banquet of mercy there's room, 
And dwell in the presence of Jesus at home.' 

"2. That we have the same spiritual wants, increases 
the hope of our becoming united whenever the right 
basis is displayed. The fullness of one does not im- 
poverish another. The richer his own draughts, the 
more devoutly he desires the other to be blessed. 
The fountain is inexhaustible, and the mure that 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 207 

drink, the richer will be the outpouring. Each en- 
joys the draught of all the others, almost as much as 
his own. When an estate is to be divided, we like 
not too many heirs ; but here fullness is given to all, 
and inexhaustible fullness left undivided. Not only 
can we enjoy each other's pleasures, but we can de- 
light in the success of each other's useful labors. 
An army may triumph in the capture of every re- 
doubt that is taken. Though few do the work, the 
joy is general. So with us. Every advance of our 
common cause, the world's conversion, must give joy, 
so soon as it is known, to the whole Israel of G-od. 
That joy is now marred by the apprehension that 
the converts may have joined schisms. Such suspicion 
must ever draw a sigh from even the purest heart. 
"The Bible is to be translated, and scattered into all 
lands and tongues of the earth. Whatever cheering 
news comes from distant lands now, is heard with 
the distressing fear that some adverse schism may 
have stamped its impress on the work performed. 
The joy is thus curtailed. We are all bound for the 
accomplishment of these great works. Such a com- 
munity of responsibility and interest can not fail to 
enlist community of feeling. One Christian can not 
take unaffected pleasure in praying and laboring to 
build up an interest whose promotion involves the 
displacency of all others. As God's children we love 
to please each other, if conscience and truth will 
allow. There is, therefore, nothing in our real needs 
as Christians to keep us divided, but everything to 
bring us together. Our wants are not supplied by 
the stinting of others, so as to create jealousy lest 
our supplies should be diminished by too large a 



208 the infidel's confession, 

participation. Universal experience approves the 
poet's sentiment : 

'The more that come with free good will, 
Make the banquet sweeter still.' 

"3. Our labors tend to drive us together. While 
ancient Israel was building up the walls of Jerus- 
alem, each ' over against his own door,' all were 
ready to respond to the trumpet's sound, by rushing 
to the defense of their brethren against a common 
foe. Had they been divided by factions deploring 
each other's existence, would they not most surely 
have rejoiced in the triumphs of the common foe 
over those interests they desired to see prostrated? 
Our hearts would be faint, were w<e, while endeavor- 
ing to beat back an invading foe of our country, to 
fall into divisions, and be compelled to exhaust part 
of our strength in the effort to quell home insurrec- 
tions and harmonize furious factions. To rescue a 
common country should be the purpose which would 
resolve us into one. We could not acknowledge to 
the powers by which w r e were commissioned to drive 
back the foe, that we had wasted our rations in the 
willful destruction of each other; and yet such would 
be our account, if faithfully rendered. And such 
w T ill it be to our final Judge, if disunion continue to 
distract and paralyze our usefulness. 

"4. That ice have the same home in view should con- 
strain us to be one. We have set out in the journey 
to the skies. Wc must feel inclined to travel together, 
and halt together. If there be safety in union, we w T ill 
not be devoured by beasts of prey, nor by the ruffians 
who infest our way through the wilderness. If any 



OR THE POWER 0? CHRISTIAN UNION. 209 

lire sick, or in need, we feel that they are members 
of our family. We aid and comfort them. "Were a 
number of us agreed to emigrate to a far country, 
we should soon feel a warm attachment toward all 
the company. "We should aid one another to pre- 
pare for the journey. Eut we have in view the far- 
off clime of cloudless sunshine and glory. ' There 
the wicked cease from troubling/ and the wayworn 
pilgrims rest. Toils are over, and tears are forever 
dried. Parted friends shall meet and part no more. 
Love shall bind anew its sundered ties. 

'Sickness and sorrow, pain and death, 
Are felt and feared no more.' 

It is our Father's House, and we are brethren. We 
can't bear divisions in our midst. Love flames in 
our hearts. We are drawn together by ties we love 
to cherish. 

"And finally, we shall be one in Heaven. No dissen- 
sions can exist there. "No factions in the great con- 
gregation of the firstborn will withhold the heart's 
deep 'Amen/ when God is worshiped. rTo barriers 
will part the millions that banquet on a Savior's 
love, as now our schisms keep us from coming to the 
Lord's earthly board. He has but one Church, but 
one organization, which is authorized to spread a 
table and call it the Lord's. It is a fearful thing for 
a human society to spread its table in His name; 
and just as fearful for men to approach and recog- 
nize it as His. If we shall be one in Heaven, we 
should not erect barriers between us here. I have 
heard Baptists charged with doing this. It may be 
so. But it can not be in their refusal to go to the 



210 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

tables of schisms, and to admit schismatics to that 
which they spread in the Church of the Lord. If 
they be the Church of God, the utmost extent of 
their religious liberality will permit them only to 
guard the ordinance as they received it. They dare 
not buy popularity by its perversion from its ori- 
ginal design. However much they may love parents 
and friends, they dare not invite them till God pro- 
nounces them worthy to approach the feast. The 
plea for intercommunion with the sects, commonly 
urged, that it is illiberal and bigoted to refuse, censures 
the Author of Zion's laws. He has made them to 
exclude the disobedient, and if instead of keeping 
them as given, his people take his table into the 
highway, and invite their friends to grace it, while 
they reject his laws ; the logic of such an act would 
be that God was too illiberal in the establishment of 
his ordinances, and that his people have the right to 
correct his error. If we arc to be one in Heaven, let 
us try to be one on earth. Let us endeavor to tear 
down every barrier to unity. O, let us feel the Spirit 
of our Savior's prayer, ' that we all may be one,' 
that the world may believe the Gospel and be saved. 
"And now, my indulgent audience ! I thank you 
for your profound and respectful attention, won, I 
trust, more by the theme than by your speaker, but 
let me beg your response to one question. If you 
respond affirmatively, I feel that my task for this 
morning is done. If negatively, I fear it is not. Do 
you feel convinced that the divisions of Christians 
into conflicting denominations, arc, according to the 
Bible, wrong, and seriously in the way of the world's 
conversion? If so, you will oblige me by rising and 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 211 

standing, while we may all survey the vast crowd 
to learn your conclusion. I ask this exj)ression from 
Christians and sinners alike." 

The whole landscape seemed to rise. — After con- 
templating the extent of the demonstration for a 
minute, the Judge turned around with big tears of 
gratitude in his eyes, and his hand was warmly seized 
and heartily shaken, in turn, by Messrs. Sellers, Hall, 
Smedley, Seeley, and others, who had found seats in 
the stand. He had spoken with great warmth ; but 
his voice, having been well developed in labored 
efforts at the bar and in Congress when in the prime 
of life, remained strong and clear to the last. His 
tears not unfrequently moistened the soil for the 
reception of truth ; and perhaps not an eye among 
the thousands that listened remained dry during the 
whole discourse. The stoutest infidels, who had 
made a mock of sin before, were now seen to bow 
the head and drop the tear. Scarcely a person 
changed his seat during the three hours of the exer- 
cises. The Judge being seated, the Chairman arose 
and said : 

u The crowd will feel free to stand or sit while we 
sing the following song. Its spirit was perhaps 
never so fully and generally felt as it is here to-clay. 
It is familiar to many and we trust dear to all : 

"'Mid scenes of confusion and creature complaints, 
How sweet to my soul is communion with saints; 
To find at the banquet of mercy there's room, 
And feel in the presence of Jesus at home. 

Chorus. — Home, home, sweet, sweet home! 
r There's no place like home, 
Sorrow-soothing, sweet home. 



212 the infidel's confession. 

Sweet bonds that unite all the children of peace, 
And thrice-precious Jesus, whose love can not cease; 
Though oft from thy presence in sadness I roam, 
I long to behold thee in glory, at home 

I sigh from this body of sin to be free, 
"Which hinders my joy and communion with thee; 
Though now my temptations like billows may foam, 
All, all will be peace, when I 'm with thee at home. 

While hero in the valley of conflict I stay, 

give me submission and strength as my day; 
In all my afflictions, to thee would I come, 
Rejoicing in hope of my glorious home. 

Whate'er thou deniest, 0, give me thy grace, 
The Spirit's sure witness, and smiles of thy face; 
Inspire me with patience to wait at thy throne, 
And find even now a sweet foretaste of home. 

1 long, dearest Lord, in thy beauties to shine, 
No more as an exile in sorrow to pine, 

And in thy dear image arise from the tomb, 
"With glorified millions to praise thee, at home. r ' 

While the full notes of this song were warbled in 
heavenly melody by the vast crowd, the Christians, 
as impelled by a holy instinct, were seen to grasp 
each other by the hand. Sinners wept as feeling 
the wrath of God. When the song closed, the chair- 
man announced " that the meeting was free for all 
God's people — that any were at liberty to advocate 
or oppose the measures it was intended to bring for- 
ward — that it would advance the interests of truth 
to have free and full discussion of the principles of 
Christian union — that motions, in regard to progress, 
were then in order — that Mr. Smedley's address was 
next on the programme of exercises, but that it 



Oil THE POWEK OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 218 

might be better to adjourn the meeting until to- 
morrow. . He preferred suggestions/' 

Mr. Smedley. " The exercises this morning have, 
no doubt, realized the great expectations of the 
crowd, and they will scarcely desire the services 
prolonged, without intermission. Eor my own part, 
I should like to meditate on what we have to-day 
heard. Another speech might dissipate some of the 
impressions made, and I move that we adjourn until 
to-morrow at 10 o'clock, A. M." This motion was 
carried unanimously ; and after prayer by Mr. Smed- 
ley, the Committee to take care of Company reported 
preparations ample for the whole crowd. Night 
meetings were appointed for the Presbyterian and Ee- 
form houses. Mr. Sawyer arose and said, " The Metho- 
dist house will be opened if needed. Two houses 
were not sufficient last night." "Thank you, Bro. 
Sawyer, replied the Chairman; " there will then be 
preaching there also." The crowd was then dismissed. 

At night, Mr. Sellers preached at the Presbyterian 
house, Mr. Hall at the Eeform, and Mr. Smedley 
at the Methodist. Each house was crowded, and 
many had to stand outside. The meetings were all 
too deeply interesting to be described ; but the one 
at the Eeform church must receive special notice. 
Mr. Hall had enjoyed the unrestrained confidence 
of his brethren. They deemed him incapable of 
deception. Many of them had, from the news of 
his conviction and conversion, become alarmed about 
the security of their own condition, and had begun 
to seek the Lord. This he did not know, and fear- 
ing they were all, as their preacher had been, un- 
converted, he met them with a spirit of trembling. 



214 the infidel's confession, 

He doubted not that their undivided frowns would 
be upon him. He supposed them as ignorant of real 
religion as he had always been until the last few 
days. O, with what a sense of weakness did he now 
reenter the pulpit, which he felt that he had so long 
occupied as a zealous advocate of soul-deluding error ! 
His text was, "I did it ignorantly and in unbelief." 
He first related, with tears of joy, his own conver- 
sion ; nor were tears wanting to testify the sympa- 
thy felt by many of his brethren. He then pro- 
ceeded to show that the current Eeformation alto- 
gether discards both repentance toward God and 
faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ — that its subjects 
are ignorant of regeneration, and arc consequently 
in no wise bettered by their religion — that all who 
had joined according to his former sentiments and 
teachings might indeed be as sincere as he had been, 
but they were sincerely and fatally deceived — that 
the soul, the richness, the marrow of Christianity 
are wholly wanting in their system — that he had been 
deceived by its appearance of plausibility — that it 
looked so much like the Scriptures — but w T as only a 
carcass without life, a body with no soul — that it 
was sweet and lovely in the sinner's eyes, gave him 
peace and hope without repentance, but was only 
the form of godliness without the power. 

He attempted to show what repentance is, and 
how different from what he had thought. As he 
described the soul routed from all its works and 
hopes for self-salvation, and said, " My friends I 
thought I was gone forever!" I think there was 
scarcely a tearless eye in the house. And then, as 
he thanked God for his own timely awakening — but 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 215 

language is too poor to describe the effect. God's 
Spirit was there, and he works not like man. And 
then his earnest and soul-subduing appeals to the 
loved ones he thought he had ruined by false doc- 
trine, were irresistible. He feared they were even 
worse than if they made no pretensions to religion ; 
because they were not likely to suspect the danger 
of being deceived, not knowing by bitter repentance, 
or self-loathing and self-acquaintance, the deceitful - 
ness of their own hearts. He preached a faithful 
sermon. He descended from the pulpit and begged 
that if any of his brethren could fellowship the ex- 
perience he had related, they would come and give 
him their hand. Five old men came and said they 
had felt as he described before they ever consented 
to be baptized, and never would have joined a 
church, which discarded a doctrine so precious to 
them, if they could have found one holding that 
doctrine, and not rejecting Christ's ordinance of 
baptism ; that they had been uneasy all the time, 
from the belief that the doctrine of their church 
ruined all who embraced it. He then begged any 
who could not fellowship, from the heart, his evi- 
dences of conversion to give him their hand, if they 
could forgive him for having ignorantly deceived 
them as to the one thing needful. With streaming 
eyes, they came by scores and asked him to pray 
for them. He was overcome. He could not stand 
on his feet. He fell to his knees, but was too full 
for utterance. He had felt that he could never be 
happy under the thought of having ruined so many 
souls. Now he felt that G-od was about to bless his 
effort to undo that fearful work. Many at all the 



216 the infidel's confession, 

churches became happily wise unto salvation that 
night, and there were few, if any who did not weep. 
God was with his people. At each house, it was an- 
nounced that a young converts' prayer meeting would 
be held at sunrise the next morning, in the Presby- 
terian church. The people could not stay away, and 
the house would scarcely hold half that went. 

Does the reader suppose there was no opposition 
to this work ? — that the devil was asleep ? For at 
least a month before the convention met, the most 
indefatigable efforts had been made to blast the pri- 
vate character of Judge Rolen . It had been alleged 
that he accumulated his wealth by grinding the 
poor and the necessitous — that he had confidentially 
revealed it to a friend as his intention to get up a 
party in religion that he might be its head — that he 
had abused the close-communion baptists as bitterly 
as any one else, and had only invited them to aid in 
the formation of his party that he might get large 
numbers of them to join it — that he had acknow- 
ledged these intentions before he professed religion, 
and various expressions of an uncharitable, injudi- 
cious, and even of a lying nature, were forged and 
ascribed to him, and circulated to his prejudice. 
Engrossed by his all-absorbing purpose to Bee God's 
people united, he paid no attention to them. People 
traced many of them to their wicked origin, and 
came to the conclusion that his character must be 
as fair as an angel's not to have been blasted. This 
hatred for the truth's sake only made for him the 
more friends, and the more decidedly devoted ones. 
The sequel will develop the character of his ambi- 
tion. It is best not to condemn until guilt is proved. 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 217 



CHAPTER XI. — The Basis Unchanged and Unchangeable. 

Propitious nature seemed to smile on the object 

of the Convention. The village of L seemed 

destined as the garden spot of the Lord's vineyard; 
and the season, the springtime of a rich soul-harvest. 
The complacent sun poured his gladdening beams 
through the balmy air of this smiling morning. 

The population of L , on the previous night, was 

believed to be equaled, if not surpassed, by the num- 
ber of visitors. Dispersing thousands had on the 
day before spread more widely the news from the 
Convention. Each excited and enthusiastic auditor 
of Judge Rolen's address felt and reported that God's 
people must be united before the Convention closed. 
The nature, importance and possibility of such union 
had been clearly displayed to all. The vast majori- 
ties of all the sects there represented, had resolved 
on such union, though at the sacrifice of everything 
but conscientious principle. By ten o'clock the same 
seats which had sufficed the day before, were found 
vastly insufficient for the crowd ; but the deficiency 
was soon supplied. While the crowd was gathering, 
the time was improved by voluntary prayers and 
songs. Almost every five or ten minutes, the deep 
and profound attention was attracted by the glad 
news of peace from some soul just emerged from 
agonized sorrow into the light and liberty of God's 
children. Zion's mourners did not now need to col- 
lect, by labored efforts, the evidences from God's 
people that the Lord is gracious and worthv to be 
10 



218 the infidel's confession. 

trusted. The evidences, like light converged, were 
harmoniously poured on their minds, and with a few 
exceptions, the j>ower of conviction was awful; but 
the light and joy of conversion were sudden and clear. 
The sorrow endured but for a season. O, it was an 
occasion whose deep interest an angel's pen could 
scarcely chronicle. 

At the appointed hour, the chairman arose and 
said : " Mr. Smedley, a Baptist minister from Vir- 
ginia, will now address the audience." The clus- 
tered thousands were still and solemn as the grave. 
The presence of the awful Majesty was felt. The 
bending form of the earnest man arose. "My text/' 
said he, " is found in Matt, xvi : 18 — 'And I say unto 
thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will 
build my church, and the gates of hell shall not 
prevail against it.' As we have met to organize a 
church, no apology is needed for j^reaching on the 
basis or history of the church. The text implies 
that Christ's church had not existed before, and was 
not yet instituted. In prophetic style, the past tense 
is more often employed to set forth future events 
than the future tense itself; but to record past 
events, I am not mindful that the future form of 
the verb is ever used in the Bible. The establish- 
ment of the church was subsequent to the time 
when our Savior made this declaration. If infant 
membership had to be inferred from the identity of 
the Jewish Theocracy and the church of Christ, this 
remark would need proof. But such identity is no 
where in the Bible intimated. That it does not ex- 
ist is sufficiently manifest to all who have no object 
to gain by asserting it, from the fact that even .Tews 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 219 

themselves, the undoubted members of that Theoc- 
racy, could not enter Christ's kingdom without 
regeneration, nor his church without a voluntary 
profession of their faith in baptism. From all the 
light shed by the New Testament on the inquiry 
'.What is the church?' I think it is a body of peo- 
ple called out from the world by Christ, and organ- 
ized within his kingdom, for the voluntary obedience 
and display of his laws. The church is within the 
kingdom, just as every court is within the common- 
wealth that defines its powers. The kingdom is 
spiritual and is within its subjects. According to 
prophesy and fact, it was never established until 
the descent of the Holy Spirit, as the common resi- 
dent of all converted hearts. This took place on 
the day of Pentecost, in proof that Christ's work 
was complete and accepted of the Father. Then 
was established in the hearts of regenerate subject.;, 
' the everlasting kingdom ' — the commonwealth of 
God's spiritual Israel. Its laws were, of course, en- 
acted before its establishment. ' Eighteousness and 
judgment are the basis of the throne.' To receive 
with the heart his laws is to enter his kingdom. 
Peculiar badges are destined for the honorable dis- 
tinction of his willing subjects. They are baptism, 
the supper, and the ministry. Baptism is the vow 
of allegiance. Its worthy reception qualifies its re- 
cipient to act officially, as a full member of Christ's 
court, the church, whenever it meets. All churches 
must be similar, because they are in the same king- 
dom, and governed by the same laws. If two are at 
war in their principles, it is plain that one of them 
is anti-christ. 



220 the infidel's confession, 

" Christ is the foundation of the church. To 
recognize and confess him with the whole heart is 
here called the rock, because to do so is to take a 
stand immovably secure against apostacy, and all 
such, and only such are qualified for membership in 
his church. Each one who does so confess him is 
entitled to the honorable cognomen Peter, which 
means a fragment of rock. The church is based on 
the bona fide confession of Christ's Messiahship. 
Without this, to invest a person with its peculiar 
badges, were to alter its laws. All believers are 
spiritual stones, and are suited to some position in 
this spiritual temple. As for Solomon's temple, every 
stone was hewn and fitted to its place at the quarry, 
so that the sound of a hammer was not heard on the 
rising walls, so must every stone of God's spiritual 
house be fitted before it is brought to its place. 
The unbelieving and the unconverted have no place 
in the walls of this spiritual house. 'All must know 
the Lord, from the least even unto the greatest.' 
There is no place for one to teach another, 'Know 
ye the Lord.' There is then no room for infants. 
Kival courts may need them to aid the power of 
their antangonism against Christ's church. But in 
his court there are no functions that they can dis- 
charge. They would only encumber the efficiency 
of the church. 

" I. Christ s Church an object of hatred. ' The gates 
of hell shall not prevail against it.' "Walled cities 
in olden times are said to have had secret rooms 
over their gates, in which their war councils were 
held. The expression, 'the gates of hell,' perhaps 
means that the sagacity and malevolence of hell 



OK THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 221 

shall be brought to bear against Christ's church — 
that evil spirits in infinite number and almost un- 
limited sagacity, and unyielding hostility, might be 
expected to employ all their machinations to seduce 
and corrupt its members, and destroy the simplicity 
and purity of its ordinances. A pure church is des- 
tined to be assailed ; its destruction will be plotted. 
'All who live godly must suffer persecution.' I will 
note some of the ways in which Satan has plotted 
the destruction of Christ's church, that you may 
'not think strange of the fiery trials which will come 
upon you,' if you form here a church strictly on New 
Testament principles. 

"The councils of hell first passed a decree to re- 
duce the church by persecution. Earth was drunk 
with the blood of martyred saints during the reigns 
of the several Emperors of Eome immediately suc- 
ceeding the advent of Christ, until the rise of Con- 
stantine. Under Pagan Eome, it is estimated that 
3,000,000 of Christians were cruelly slaughtered for 
'the testimony of Jesus.' Tacitus states that .Nero 
persecuted them with such unrelenting severity as 
to awaken the compassion even of their enemies. 
During the persecutions, the strange truth became 
apparent that ' the blood of the martyrs is the seed 
of the church.' Piety, like gold tried in the furnace, 
displayed itself undimmed by dross. Its divine 
splendor won the beholder, and it became glorious to 
die martyred. Persecution to destroy the church, 
was like the attempt to smother fire with fuel. The 
intended obstructions to the flame became its own 
material. 

"The Prince of Darkness revoked his first decree, 



222 the infidel's confession, 

and issued another, to corrupt by an unholy alliance 
with the secular power, our holy religion. Her 
name and livery were now stolen to grace the em- 
pire of darkness. Lucre was substituted for the 
soul of religion. Those who united the power with 
the form of godliness, found no charms in the gor- 
geous pomp and palaces of a canonized Christianity. 
Indeed her native simplicity was a rude and un wel- 
comed guest. Like an insulted goddess, she led her 
attendants into the wilderness, God's people there 
retained and observed the principles of religion in 
their original purity. The conflict was now between 
nominal and real Christianity. The nominal was 
backed by the powerful arm of the State. The real 
was clothed in sackcloth. Human policy was the 
standard of the former, a heavenly mission the duty 
of the latter. Human innovations, it mattered not 
how innocent or influential in their character, she 
felt compelled, by fealty to her Author, to reject, 
at whatever hazard. In this rejection she waked a 
more fearful lion of persecution than Paganism had 
been. Under Papal Borne, it is believed, that 50,- 
000,000 of Christians were martyred. Rome and her 
corrupt daughters have dyed their garments in the 
blood of saints. But still the church exists — God's 
torch to a benighted world still burns. But Satan 
is not easily foiled. If he can not amalgamate the 
church with a power as corrupt as Romanism, he 
can, at least, organize new sects, in any numbers, 
more or less reformed, and by the skillful admixture 
of truth and error, purity and corruption, virtue and 
vice, revelation and tradition, severely tempt God's 
church to recognize his church -making authority. 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 223 

How specious his inducements to decoy the church 
into a recognition of his usurped power ! To reject, 
we must reject some of the most pious people earth 
can boast, and that on account of only a few of 
the devil's principles, so cunningly disguised that 
through a vail of prejudices wrought by the skill 
and affection of parental piety, they can scarcely be 
detected. Yes, the church in such rejection can not 
avoid the appearance of rejecting the good along 
with the bad, the divine along with the human. 
The opposing sects labor anxiously to have it so un- 
derstood. They profess to believe it so. When they 
can not be recognized as churches of Christ by those 
who belong to his church, they brand them as bigots. 
"Again, the device is changed. Grant that Christ's 
church must adhere to his principles ; it is then con- 
tended that, by intercommunion with sects, those 
principles would not be sacrificed. 'We don't ask 
you/ say they, 'to indorse us as churches. "We only 
ask a testimony of Christian fellowship — not of 
church fellowship.' How hard to resist such an ap- 
peal ! But still, if it prevails, Christ's promise falls 
to the ground, and a plan against His church suc- 
ceeds. It would only be an entering wedge, it is 
true, but the principle being established, there would 
soon be no limit to the extent of its influence, and 
'the light of the world' would grow dim and expire 
in a gathering cloud of error and corruption. Error 
in religion is like the letting out of waters. A little 
channel silently and steadily widens and deepens 
until no barriers can arrest the rushing current. 
To eat the forbidden fruit was a religious error. It 
seemed a small one. but its consequences are im- 



224 the infidel's confession, 

measurable. Oh, if Satan can only decoy Christ's 
church into a little error — if only to sanction the 
anti-christian power to change an ordinance, or to 
reckon the ordinance valid when changed, or to 
recognize the right of human societies, self-styled 
churches, to use God's ordinances, or in any way to 
treat them otherwise than as religious usurpers — if 
Satan, I say, could only induce the church to swerve, 
in some of these, or any other particulars, with what 
a jubilee would hell celebrate such a triumph ! But 
such is the genius of the church that it can not apos- 
tatize and reform. A body is a church of Christ 
only as it derives that character from the faithful 
observance and display of Christ's laws. 'The gates 
of hell/ to prevail against the church, must utterly 
suppress the church, so that in Christ's kingdom on 
earth there should be, at least for a time, no church 
unflinchingly holding the ordinances, as they were 
delivered to it. Whenever a church departs from 
those principles, it forfeits its name, and becomes 
anti-christian in every opposing or erroneous prin- 
ciple which it holds. If the church of Christ were 
to celebrate the Lord's Supper with the Catholics 
or any of their ecclesiastical offshoots or descend- 
ants, or with any human organization, that act 
being wanting in fealty to Christ, would of itself 
vitiate their claim to be his church. It is im- 
possible to hold his laws and not hold them at the 
same time. Truly has Satan transformed himself 
into a messenger of light to prevail against the 
church. His appeal strikes people of little religious 
intelligence, and no fixed principles, as a call to dis- 
charge a conscientious duty. And many comply. 






OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 225 

"Notice the liability to be deceived by an appear- 
ance of duty to commune with Presbyterianism. 
Though founded by a member of Romanism, the 
most corrupt power on earth — though its founder 
received his baptism and confirmation from the same 
source — though it retains the striking features of its 
mother in infant baptism, sprinkling, and the aris- 
tocracy of its government — and though organized 
fifteen hundred years too late even to claim to be 
the church of Christ — yet it appeals to our fraternal 
regards with a plea almost irresistible. It doesn't 
allow its infant members to commune until they 
assume the act of their parents in having them 
sprinkled. The General Synod, when met in Cin- 
cinnati in 1846, most solemnly protested against, 
and declared utterly invalid, all baptisms adminis- 
tered by its mother church, Romanism. This affect- 
ing instance of filial piety in the daughter toward 
her mother, should almost make us forget her ex- 
traction. Indeed, many good people, with more 
bigotry than Bible knowledge, feel a pious obliga- 
tion, instilled from unconscious infancy, to prefer 
that church even to Christ's own church. To reject 
an appeal from such a pious body, and that when 
we have not more than half as much piety ourselves 
as we ought to have, is indeed hard. The church 
that does it must not only be based upon a rock, 
but must be built up of the same material. 

" Since the bait of Presbyterianism fails to cause 
the church to swerve from its immutable principles, 
a highly improved edition is offered in the wise and 
consistent person of Campbellism. This frowns with 
utter contempt on the pillar of Romanism, infant 
10* 



226 the infidel's confession, 

sprinkling, rejects the idea of involuntary or proxy 
worship, does not believe that baptism can change 
the heart or regenerate an unconscious babe, adopts 
the Bible form of church government, and with all 
this array of scripturality, and no feature of Roman- 
ism, except the baptismal regeneration of voluntary 
subjects, (and this it indignantly spurns the charge 
of teaching even by implication,) it appeals to us for 
our fellowship and cooperation. And how can we 
resist? I know no answer but the promise of the 
Savior: 'The gates of hell shall not prevail/ The 
perseverance of the church, like that of the saints, is 
through all manner of trials and opposition. Both 
are secured against apostacy. But I am aware that 
this is questioned in regard to both. It is believed 
by many that both churches and Christians can 
apostatize and be again reclaimed, and if not re- 
claimed, lost. If it is true of the one, it is of the 
other. If untrue of the one, it is of the other. If 
the church apostatize, all its members do. It is true 
that when a church abandons New Testament prin- 
ciples, its faithful members will abandon it, but the 
loss of these, and the corruption of the others, will 
destroy the church. A Bible church, without Bible 
principles, is an anomaly. It is possible for an or- 
ganization to be almost a church. The church of 
Christ maybe called, for illustration, the Gospel Tree. 
Its roots and all its branches are of the same charac- 
ter. A tree can not by degrees cease to have its own 
character, and acquire an opposite character. To be 
short, an organization is either scriptural or it is not. 
If scriptural, it is a church ; if not, it is none. A sort 
of a church is not a Bible phrase, and suits no Bible 



OR THE POWER OP CHRISTIAN UNION. 227 

verity. Christ's is a perfect church. It can not be 
his, if it have marks of apostacy and corruption. 

"It must be remembered, however, that its organ- 
ization is all that is perfect. Its members are imper- 
fect. That imperfection, however, does not incline 
them to abandon his organization. All of them who 
are converted, and know what his organization is 
would rather die than yield one of its features. It 
may have unconverted members, unawares brought 
in, who would be pleased with an organization less 
repulsive to human nature, and they will be its 
sorest enemies. Like an evil disease they impair 
the efficiency, and mar the enjoyment of the whole 
body. Christ's church was not designed for human 
nature, it was designed for regenerate nature. Every 
effort to secularize it proves a want of regeneration. 
It is a peculiar body for 'a peculiar people.' The 
original for this last expression is, ' a people arroga- 
ting to themselves.' God's people must both be, 
and claim to be unlike all others. They must wear 
peculiar badges, and with peculiar obstinacy refuse 
to conform to worldly policy and maxims. It is, no 
doubt, to develop their fealty to Christ that they 
are required to sustain and adopt a church polity so 
peculiar. When importuned to abandon their prin- 
ciples, by the promiscuous recognition of all religious 
sects, that blend a worldly policy with some of the 
principles of Christ's church, they are asked to re- 
nounce nothing less than their fealty to him. Pro- 
miscuous communion would destroy the church. 

"To celebrate the Lord's Supper with a society, is 
to declare that society authorized to administer that 
Supper. Suppose that three unconverted men in 



228 the infidel's confession, 

your town form a society for mutual culture in letters 
and morals. Has the church on that account, a 
grant of authority from Christ to invite them to his 
table ? All will say, no. But suppose they resolve 
to meet frequently to read the Scriptures, and to read 
forms of prayer ; could the church still invite them? 
No. Suppose they determine to hold an occasional 
feast, as a means of increasing their mutual attach- 
ment, and call it ' a love feast/ Could the church 
invite them on that account? Clearly not. But 
suppose they, like the Sons of Temperance, write 
out their system of morals, and rules of deportment, 
and invite members to join them, and receive fifty 
or a hundred, some converted, and some unconverted. 
Would the church be now warranted in proclaiming 
them a church and inviting them to the Lord's 
table? I doubt whether any one will say, yes. All 
will say, they are no church, and to commune with 
them would be wrong. All Christians would rebuke 
them as usurpers. But suppose some of these mem- 
bers become converted, and instead of joining God's 
church, they determine to name their society a 
church, and baptize such as join it. Have they a 
right to baptize? All will say, no. But they or- 
dain preachers and send them out to preach, to bap- 
tize, and to administer the usurped Supper. Do 
all these things make them a church of Christ? Can 
Christians interpret the duty to 'keep the ordi- 
nances as delivered unto them/ as a permit to go 
to their table, and proclaim it the Lord's ? Could 
they invite such to the Lord's table? I think all 
will say, not. The sketch is realized in Methodism. 
Three students of a college in England, while uncon- 



OR THE POWER OE CHRISTIAN UNION. 229 

verted, organized the society for the purpose just 
mentioned. They, and such as joined them, received 
the name Methodists. Some of them afterward be- 
came converted. They did not leave the society, 
though not one who aided in its organization ever 
consented to its being canonized by its members as 
a church. The same principle is realized in all the 
denominations opposed, in any feature, to the church 
of Christ. But all these editions of the church as 
revised by men, are so many efforts, by Satan, to 
prevail against the church's tenacious adherence to 
the principles of its establishment. 

"Another interpretation of the text is given by 
some. The original, here rendered l hell,' is not Ge- 
henna, which is always used to denote the perdition 
of lost souls, but 'Hades' which the Jews under- 
stood as denoting the intermediate state of all souls, 
whether converted or unconverted. In this invisible 
region were supposed to exist two states, the one of 
happiness called Paradise, and the other of misery, 
called Tartarus. In the one or the other of these, 
the souls of the departed were, and still are, sup- 
posed by some to remain until the resurrection of 
their bodies. In this sense of the word the text 
gives us the consoling assurance that the grave, or 
death, shall never reduce the church to nothing. 
Death and the powers of darkness have conspired 
against it. Have they succeeded? Will they ever 
succeed? 

II. " The gates of hell have not prevailed against 
the church of Christ. Amid all the fearful storms 
of persecution she has stood unmoved, as the moun- 
tain lashed by the waves of the sea, or beaten by 



230 THE infidel's confession, 

the angry blasts, or scathed by the lightnings of 
heaven. No stroke of the sword, no peal of the 
lash, no corruptiDg charms, no dreadful frowns have 
marred the beauty, sullied the purity, or disturbed 
the calm, immovable firmness of the Lamb's Bride. 
Lover nor friend can seduce her from her fidelity. 
She is the only incarnation of purity and light. 
Divinity alone hath preserved her from the blasting 
of enemies, and from the corruption of seducers. 
To trace her in the tide of opposition through which 
she has come down would indeed be interesting, 
and many an honest tear would tell the sympathy 
of God's people to-day with ' those to glory gone ; ' 
but the brevity designed will not allow more than a 
glance at her history to show that she has existed in 
every age since her establishment. That she was 
established in the Apostles' days will not be ques- 
tioned. She set out with a declaration of the prin- 
ciples laid down in the speech of yesterday. She 
took God's revealed will as the man of her counsel; 
after evangelizing the people, she immersed the be- 
lievers in obedience to Christ's command, and then 
regarded them as members, or communicants. The 
history of these principles held and practiced upon, 
is the history of the church. Their abettors have 
never enjoyed the privilege of naming themselves; 
indeed they have disregarded names in their devo- 
tion to principles. As they have depended on their 
enemies for a name, they have taken, at different 
times, and in different countries, a variety of names. 
The common name by which the Catholics have 
designated them has been Heretics, sometimes Ana- 
Baptists." 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 231 

Mr. Sniedley here spent fifty minutes in reading 
extracts from the works of Moshiem, Prof. Stewart, 
Hermas, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Chrysostom, 
Augustine, Gregory Nyssen, Basil, Photius, Apos- 
tolic Constitutions, Jerome, F. Brenner, Cj^ril of 
Jerusalem, Damascenus, etc., proving to a demon- 
stration, that there have been in all ages, up to the 
last of these writers, people holding these senti- 
ments. 

"We see then," continued he, "that those who 
held these principles were, according to Moshiem 
and others, remarkable for the rigidness of their 
examination of candidates, and of their discipline. 
Indeed their purity of manners and discipline pur- 
chased for them the unsought name of Cathari or 
Puritans. It was given in derision, as most of their 
names were ; but they gloried in it, because it intelli- 
gibly expressed their principles in a single word. It 
has often surprised me that the Campbellites so in- 
dignantly spurn the name by which alone their pe- 
culiar views are designated. I can not yet find any 
good reason for it, unless they are ashamed of some 
of A. Campbell's views. It is evident that these 
people rejected infant baptism in every age after it 
came into vogue. Professor Limborch, a Pedo-Bap- 
tist, declares that ' Pedo-Baptism was unknown in 
the first and second centuries/ Tertullian, in the 
third century, opposed it ; declaring, ' we are made 
but not born Christians. Let children come when 
they grow up; when instructed whither to come; 
when able to know Christ/ Neander, another cele- 
brated Pedo-Baptist historian, says: 'Faith and 
baptism are always united, and infant baptism was 



232 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

not known in the Apostolic age.' Moshiem says, 
'Xone were admitted to baptism but such as had 
previously been instructed in the principal points of 
Christianity/ 

" Their church government was congregational. 
Says Giesler, i In the appointment of officers all 
had a voice. The new churches everywhere formed 
themselves on the model of the mother church at 
Jerusalem. At the head of each church were el- 
ders, all officially equal in rank. Each church was 
left to make its own particular regulations.' Mo- 
sheim says, ' The churches in those early times 

were entirely independent A bishop, 

during the first and second centuries, was a per- 
son who had the care of one Christian Assembly.' 
Neander agrees with this sentiment as true. I can 
in no way better verify our Savior's promise to 
preserve his church, in an appeal to her history, 
than by an extract from an invaluable epitome of 
church history, by Professor A. Drury, of Coving- 
ton, Ky. I shall abridge the compiler's language, 
and use it sometimes as memory and convenience 
may permit : ' Has God had a people since the days 
of the apostles? If so, either the Catholic or the 
Baptist church embraces that people ; for not one of 
the Protestant churches is yet three hundred and 
fifty years old ; and whoever heard of such a thing 
as a child being born one thousand or one thousand 
and two hundred years after the death of its mother?' 
If the Baptist church is not the true child of the pri- 
mitive church, she has no child but the whore of 
Babylon. But to answer the question, where is their 
history? We know that much obscurity rests upon 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 233 

some parts of it; bat keep in mind the model 
church ; . . . . all the churches, for the first 
two hundred and fifty years, were evidently what 
would be called Baptist churches by all classes of 
men. 

" In the early part of the fourth century, Constan- 
tine was converted to the Christian faith. He ex- 
erted his power as Emperor to advance the church, 
forgetting the Christian's motto — The weapons of 
our warfare are not carnal. From this time the 
church ceased to be a church of God. She was 
secularized. Corruptions flowed in apace. JVtosheim 
says : ' Constantine assumed the supreme power over 
the church, and the right of modeling and govern- 
ing her; and true religion was almost entirely super- 
ceded by horrid superstition/ To these growing 
corruptions opposition became bold in the close of 
the third century. The blended power, civil and 
ecclesiastic, persecuted those who refused to bend 
the knee. The history of these is obscured from 
several causes. To keep the ordinances uncorrupted, 
they were forced to flee the presence of their armed 
and bloody persecutors. Hid in mountain fastnesses 
or secluded valleys, they met together in as much 
concealment as possible. Malice and power com- 
bined, hunted them like beasts of prey, and inhu- 
manly butchered their men, women and children, to 
obliterate every trace of them from the earth. Their 
history, written by relentless foes, has been falsified, 
and they have been branded with every opprobrious 
epithet. From age to age, as they emerged from 
their retreat, when the fires of persecution have 
cooled for a while, we find them with a new name. 



234 the infidel's confession, 

The wonder is that any of their history is known. 
But its obscurity no more proves their non-exis- 
tence than Elijah's ignorance does, that God had in 
all Israel but one worshiper. Were their history 
wholly lost in the cloud of persecution, no Christian 
could doubt their uninterrupted existence, But his- 
tory notes their footprints, as oases in the waste of 
the past. 

"In 251, £s"ovatian was ordained pastor of a church 
in Eome, which maintained no fellowship with the 
Catholic party, on account of its laxity in discipline. 
< In seasons of prosperity, multitudes rushed into the 
church; in times of adversity, they denied the faith.' 
To such a state of things Novatian was opposed and 
refused communion. Great numbers followed his 
example ; and all over the empire Puritan churches 
were constituted and nourished for two hundred 
years: i. e. till 450. i Afterward/ says Eobinson, 
' when persecution compelled them to lurk in cor- 
ners, and to worship God in private, they were dis- 
tinguished by a variety of names, and a succession 
of them continued till the Keformation.' Thus 
much of their history, probably, no Protestant will 
dispute. 

" Milner says * they were the most respectable of 
the dissenters/ Mosheim says : ' This sect can not 
be accused of corrupting the doctrine of Christian- 
ity, but they compelled all who joined them from 
the dominant sect to be re-baptized/ As there was 
no baptism but immersion, they baptized them again 
because their former baptism was faulty in its sub- 
ject. . . ' The Donatists appear to have resembled 
the followers of Xovatian. They derived their name 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 235 

from Donatus, elected bishop of Carthage A. D. 306. 
. They, in A. D. 411, sent two hundred and 
seventy-nine bishops to a conference held at Car- 
thage between them and the Catholics, which must 
give a favorable opinion of their numbers, consider- 
ing the superior strictness of their discipline, and 
especially that they were frequently the subjects of 
the severe and sanguinary persecutions of the domi- 
nant party. In 583, Justinian declared the Pope 
head of all the churches. This was a signal for the 
most intolerant persecution of all the dissenters. 
In the year 591, they were subdued by the Eoman 
Pontiff/ 

" Mosheim says, £ their doctrine was conformable 
to the church, but they re-baptized.' Long says, 
'they not only re-baptized adults, but refused to 
baptize children, as appears from several discourses 
of St. Augustine.' Eulicius, quoted by Danvers and 
Taylor, says : < The dissenters of this age are repre- 
sented as honest and godly Christians, who, from 
the example of Christ, did reprove the evil custom 
of infant baptism/ Their history extends from 306 
to 600. They were clearly a church according to 
the New Testament. 

' : - Gieseler says : c In the year 660/ ere they could 
have become extinct, 'the Paulicians appeared.' "We 
have no account of them, except from their bitter 
enemies. Mosheim says : ' They arose in the seventh 
century and continued for two hundred years.' 
Gibbon tells us of a Syrian captive who had, as a 
present, the New Testament. He learned and ex- 
pounded its truths. Many became his followers? 
and condemned, according to Gibbon, every error of 



236 the infidel's confession, 

the Catholics, ' one hundred thousand/ says he, ' per- 
ished by the sword, gibbet, or the flames/ 

" The council of Laodicea, in the eighth century, 
decreed ' that those who will come to baptism, ought 
first to be instructed in the faith, and to make a con- 
fession thereof.' Booth, in his Examiner, says : 'The 
council of Paris, A. D. 829, has this remarkable 
canon, viz. : In the beginning of the holy church of 
God, no one was admitted to baptism unless he had 
been instructed in the holy sacrament of faith and 
baptism/ About the year 970, the Patriarch of 
Antioch complained to the Emperor that his patri- 
archate was full of heretics, and begged to be freed 
from them. The Emperor complied with his request, 
but instead of extirpating them, he removed them 
to Philoppolis and gave them liberty of conscience. 
The whole adjacent country was soon filled with in- 
habitants, free and happy. Thence they spread all 
over Europe. Historians say they rejected infant 
baptism. G-ieseler says : 'They appeared about 
A. D. 660, and continued A. D. 1000, and that they 
took the Apostle Paul for their model/ 

"If they took Paul for their model, one thing 
seems evident, viz. : that faith in Christ was a pre- 
requisite to baptism. We also think with Knapp, 
Bloomfield, Chalmers and Macknight, that they were 
buried with Christ in baptism. Bom. vi : 4. 

"Says G-ieseler, 'Connected, perhaps, with the 
Paulicians, were the heretics, who, originating in 
Italy, had, from the beginning of the 11th century, 
been spreading themselves throughout the West. 
They were discovered in Aquitain and Orleans, 
A. D. 1022; in Arras, 1025; in Montefort. near Tu- 



OR THE POWER OE CHRISTIAN UNION. 237 

rin> 1030 ; and in Goslar, 1052. They were univer- 
sally punished with death.' 

" Lafrance, Archbishop of Canterbury, says, ' Ber- 
engarius,' who rejected infant baptism and the er- 
rors of Eomanism, < drew all Italy, France and Eng- 
land into his opinion/ — Taylor's History. 

" Baronius. 'About this time (1087) the Baptists 
appear to have spread in various countries. Peter 
Abelardus, a learned man and a great opposer of 
infant baptism, suffered martyrdom at Eome for the 
same crime. At G-oslar, several were executed for 
the same crime.' 

"Moshiem. 'Among the sects that troubled the 
Latin church in this century, the principal place is 
due to the Catharists.' " 

After speaking of the other sects, he says: "A 
much more rational sect was founded A. D., 1110, by 
Peter de Bruys, who made laudable attempts to re- 
form the abuses, and remove the superstitions which 
disfigured the beautiful simplicity of the Gospel; 
and after having engaged in this cause a great many 
followers, during a laborious ministry of twenty 
years, he was burnt at St. Giles, A. D., 1130, by an 
angry populace, set on by the clergy, whose craft 
was in danger. His whole system is not known. 
But he held these tenets : First, that no persons 
whatever were to be baptized, until they came to 
the full use of reason. Secondly, that the real body 
and blood of Christ were not present in the Eucharist. 
Third, that prayers for the dead are useless. Accord- 
ing to Mosheim, he was followed by Henry, an Italian, 
the founder of the Henricians. For opposing infant 
baptism and other abuses, he was, 1148, imprisoned 



238 niE infidel's confession, 

by Pope Eugenius III, where he shortly after died. 
About 1170 Waldo flourished, the founder of the 
Waldenses, according to Moshiem and Gieseler. 
McLaine contradicts the notion that Waldo founded 
and gave name to the Waldenses, alleging that he 
took his name from them. This matter is indiffer- 
ent, only so far as it shows the existence of these 
people. In 1250, the bloody inquisitor, Einerius 
Baoco, labored zealously for their destruction. He 
calls them Leonists, and declares them to have ex- 
isted over 500 years. Mosheim identifies these with 
the Waldenses. Their tenets prove them Baptists. 
Gretzer, a Jesuit who wrote against them, expresses 
his belief that the Toulousians and Albigenses, con- 
demned 1177 and 1178, were no other than the 
Waldenses. The proof of this is overwhelming. 
A. D., 1197, says the Monk William Newburg, < the 
sect called Publicani, being numerous as the sand of 
the sea, did sorely infest both France, Italy, Spain, 
and Germany/ In 1209, in France, an army of be- 
tween 300,000 and 500,000 soldiers was raised to ex- 
terminate the heretics, and in a few months slaugh- 
tered 200,000. These crusades continued till 1243, 
when 1,000,000 had perished; and yet, in 1260, they 
had churches in Albania, Lombardy, Milan, Eomag- 
na, Vicenza, Florence, Constantinople, Philadelphia, 
Sclavonia, Bulgaria, Diagonitia, and subsequently 
Sicily, Livonia, Sarmatia, etc. A. D., 1315, in Bohe- 
mia alone there was said to be 80,000. A. D., 1530, 
says one of their pastors, there were said to be 
800,000 Waldenses. From the middle of 13th cen- 
tury, for a hundred and thirty }~ears, they enjoyed 
comparative ease. About 1400, persecution again 



OR THE POWER OP CHRISTIAN UNION. 239 

raged in the valley Pragela, in Piedmont, so cruelly 
by the Catholics against the Waldenses, that for a 
whole century, even the Catholics called it 'the cruel 
scene.' From 1540 to 1550, they suffered cruelties 
too horrible to relate. ~No mercy was shown to age 
or sex. From 1550 to 1600 they are found in various 
countries in Europe." Thus far I have relied on 
Prof. Drury for a brief of Baptist Church History. 
He only traces them to the end of the sixteenth 
century; not because they are traceable no further; 
for I think I shall make out their history, on the 
very best authority, up to the present. In the six- 
teenth century, we find the Baptists in England with 
the name Lollards; in Europe, they still retained 
their general name Ana-Baptists; but about that 
time they were also called Mennonites. About the 
middle of the sixteenth century, Strype says : " The 
Baptists pestered the church, and would openly dis- 
pute their principles in public places. . . . Over 
70,000 of them were, in King Henry's time, punished 
by fines, by imprisonment, by banishment, or by 
burning." Indeed, from the sixteenth century for- 
ward, there is no want of Baptist literature. One 
of their books, on the liberty of conscience in re- 
ligion, was published in 1615. A vindication of their 
views was published in 1618. Indeed, all their 
enemies contend that they arose in this century, and 
have existed ever since. I mean, of course, those 
enemies who now speak against us. As far back as 
thirty or forty years ago, there was not a man who 
wrote for the public eye, and was so ignorant or so 
dishonest, as to deny our existence even before that 
time. But now are found in great abundance those 



•240 the infidel's confession. 

who scruple not to deny the testimony of all history 
— who would ' change times and customs' — in order 
to supplant Scripture by tradition. But it all 
amounts to nothing; if history were silent as 
the grave as to the perpetuity of the church, we 
should not be confused as to the constitution we are 
required to adopt here to-day. For that is to be 
found only in the Bible — but I have traced the his- 
tory of the church to show that our Savior's promise, 
'On this rock will I build my church, and the gates 
of Hell shall not prevail against it/ has been kept 
by him. Cromwell's age was about the middle of 
the seventeenth century. Through his influence, 
thousands of Baptists came from obscurity into light. 
'Persons of this persuasion,' says Eussell, 'filled 
the army with preaching, and praying, and valiant 
men." They were numerous and bold. Not ashamed 
of their doctrine, they proclaimed it in all places. 
When, at the malevolent instigation of the Presby- 
terians, Cromwell renewed the persecution of them, 
they sent a remonstrance, in which they asked ' if 
Baptists had not filled his towns, cities, provinces, 
islands, castles, navies, tents, armies, and court.' 
"The following is from a learned German, published 
in Holland, at Breda, by D'Uprey, Professor of The- 
ology in the University Gottingen, and Eev. J. J. 
Dermont, Chaplain to the King of the Netherlands, 
both learned Pedo-Baptists : ' We have seen that 
the Baptists, who were formerly called Ana-Baptists, 
and in latter times Mennonites, were the original 
Waldenses, and who have long, in the history of the 
church, received the honor of that origin. On this 
account, the Baptists may be considered the only 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 241 

Christian community which has stood since the days 
•of the Apostles, and as a Christian society, which 
has preserved pure the doctrines of the Gospel in 
all ages. The perfectly correct external and inter- 
nal economy of the Baptist denomination tends to 
confirm the truth, disputed by the Komish church, 
that the Reformation of the sixteenth century was 
in the highest degree necessary; and at the same 
time, goes to refute the erroneous notion of the 
Catholics, that their church is the most ancient/ 
"But it is needless to trace our history further. 
As the risen sun destroys the need of artificial light 
and covers earth with its beams, so our history fills 
the last two centuries with the evidences of its ex- 
istence. 

"We need not burrow through the gloom of the 
world's night to trace the indestructible and golden 
chain of our history. Like the beautiful bow of 
promise, it now spans every Gospel-lit continent and 
island on earth. 

"That 'the gates of hell have not prevailed against 
the church,' is now deemed manifest. That they 
never will, the veracity of Zion's King is pledged. 
As Christians can not doubt his word, and none 
others feel special interest in the fulfillment of this 
promise, I will dismiss this point without further 
remark. 

" The church is Christ's court on earth. Its func- 
tions are important. Its duties are to keep the 
ordinances in their original purity and simplicity, 
to guard them against the perversions and usurpa- 
tions of designing men, and of corrupt combinations. 

The church is neither to give the ordinances to the 
11 



242 the infidel's confession, 

impenitent and unbelieving, nor to connive at their 
usurpation by human societies. It is also to evan-/ 
gelize the world by its ministry. The appointment 
of officers devolves upon the church. Whom they 
baptize, the church recognizes. "What they preach, 
the church sanctions. It is, then, needful to guard 
well the pulpit. To clothe with its functions the 
unworthy, is to vail its own light with disgrace. 
To sustain the apostate and the heretical, is to fos- 
ter, with our influence, the seeds of death it would 
then disseminate. 

' ; If the church be Heaven's constituted power for 
the creation and perpetuity of the gospel ministry, 
it has also Heaven's authority to silence corrupt and 
heretical ministers. When once it appoints a man, 
his official acts are valid, though his heart may be 
black as the ace of spades. When it revokes his 
credentials, his official acts are invalid, though he 
be fair as an angel, and learned as a rabbi. I can't 
sympathize with the question sometimes raised in 
our churches, whether baptisms performed by A. 
Campbell, and his followers, are valid. Campbell 
was expelled by a gospel church for incorrigibly 
preaching • damnable heresy.' He had no longer 
the right to preach, or to baptize, or to administer 
the Supper. He could not give to his followers what 
he did not have. The same is true of other humau 
societies, self-styled churches. If their baptism is 
valid, it can only be because they have a right to 
administer it. If they have that right, they have 
equal right to celebrate the Supper, and to appoint 
ministers, and we have no right, when one of their 
ministers joins us — as man}' do — to elect and ordain 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 248 

him again to the office of the ministry ; for we have 
already recognized his official acts, which we can 
not do without recognizing him as officially qualified 
to perform them. To recognize him as such, is to 
pronounce the society by which he was appointed 
a church, and then are we bound, by consistency 
and charity, to fraternize with it throughout, and of 
course to commune with it. I can not but reject, 
as utterly invalid, every act performed as a church 
act, by any denomination in existence, except the 
Baptist. 

"For this I am styled an uncharitable bigot, and 
it is not my business to show a harmony between 
the peculiar laws of Christ's church, and the tem- 
porizing proclivities of human nature. I will just 
consent to be called a bigot. My Savior was called 
no better, and he forewarned me to expect no better. 

"In conclusion, I have been trying to declare 
truth. You are all, as much as I, in need to know 
it. Taught by Judge Rolen's admonition not to be 
too studious of popularity, I have studied very lit- 
tle to keep you from being displeased by my manner 
of presenting truth. Had I come to sell you a par- 
cel of Yankee Notions, in which I was to be the 
benefited party, I should have felt the need of oil- 
ing my words. But I have been in haste to tell 
you, as fast as possible, what, if you are sensible 
people, you have come to learn. If you complain 
because it has been told with bluntness, you will 
display your own weakness. 

"If the truths told are unpleasant — provided they 
be truths — your disaffection should not be toward 
the messenger, but toward the author of those 



244 the infidel's confession, 

truths. People sometimes become raving mad with 
me, because I ask them for the Scripture which, 
they say, speaks of infant baptism. We shall all 
soon meet at the bar of G-od to account for the ad- 
vantages here enjoyed. With my thanks for your 
kind attention, I now relieve your patience/' 

When Mr. Smedley was seated, the Chairman 
called for voluntary addresses for or against the 
proposed union. The eminent Dr. Eobinson, of the 
Presbyterian church, had come all the way from 

the city of B , by the earnest solicitation of the 

stanch and unmoved Presbyterians in L . He 

felt that his craft was in danger. He was a man of 
towering abilities. There was no sophism which 
the alembic of his genius could not fuse into vapor. 
Beneath the stroke of his pen have crumbled the 
proudest monuments of infidelity. The pealing flashes 
of his towering genius might scathe and shatter all 
but the stern Kock of truth. All who knew him 
were breathless with anxiety to know whether he 
would favor or frown upon the object of the Con- 
vention. Many believed his powerful touch would 
either crush or crown it with success. If he should 
oppose, it was feared none would have the nerve to 
answer him. He is a giant in thought, and he digs 
and illumines his own path through the labyrinths 
of discussion. How ardent the hopes of many that 
he will either espouse the great cause, or remain 
silent. But, alas ! such hopes were vain. His cogi- 
tations are busy in collecting the energies of his 
mighty mind for the destruction he has decreed 
against the enterprise he has not duly considered. 
After such a pause as modesty would dictate, he rises. 



OR THE POWER OP CHRISTIAN UNION. 245 



CHAPTER XII.— The Shallow Sophism. 

"This immense assembly/' said he, "is doubtless 
convened by the exalted estimate in which the ob- 
jects of this convention, as published abroad, are 
held by the people, I came attracted by the com- 
mendable object of forming an alliance of Christians 
of all denominations. I did not arrive in due time 
to hear the speech of yesterday, which, from accounts, 
I doubt not was a masterly effort, and altogether to 
the purpose. I have been pained and disappointed 
this morning, by the manifest effort to turn this 
unparalleled excitement into a sectarian channel, 
and to build up one church to the disparagement of 
all the others. I judge all by one when I express 
the belief that the address we have just had is very 
generally, if not universally, considered discourteous 
and ill-timed. I am warmly in favor of some alli- 
ance of all Christians by which a more harmonious 
cooperation can be secured in the great work of 
evangelizing man. But my views are not so con- 
tracted as to expect such alliance in the Presbyte- 
rian church. I do not arise to eulogize it ; if I did 
I should not like to acknowledge, with all our past 
inefficiency, that we had over 1800 years' history. 
I should press the point of our origin only about 300 
years ago — that our organization was never com- 
pleted until 1789, by the establishment of the Gen- 
eral Assembly ; that with this recent origin and 
tardy completion of our church, we are scarely in- 
ferior in a single element of real power to any 



246 the infidel's confession, 

church in the world. I would advert to the num- 
ber and talent of our ministry, and to the number 
and commanding influence of our literary and theo- 
logical colleges. But I do not rise to make a special 
plea to get everybody to join our church, and thus 
break up all others. This I would not do if I could. 
"We claim not to be the church ; we are not so bigoted. 
We are only a branch of it. It is pleasant to think 
we are all branches of the same great church which 
' Christ loved, and gave himself that he might sanc- 
tify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the 
Word/ We surely have not met to destroy all the 
churches but one in the vain hope that it will then 
absorb all Christians and become a mammoth estab- 
lishment. For my part I know no consideration 
that could induce me to give up my church, and yet 
I am heartily willing to unite with all who love God 
in the great cause of the world's conversion. In- 
deed I am glad there are so many denominations. 
While they differ in non-essentials they are one 
in the essentials of Christianity. <I am the vine/ 
said the Savior, ' and ye are the branches.' While 
we all derive life, growth and action from Christ, we 
are different branches. For illustration, we have 
one branch of young and luxuriant growth. It 
overtops all the others and is sometimes very fruit- 
ful, and at others some of its leaves and fruits are 
blasted; but it is a branch, and we would not destroy 
it. It is Methodism. Another branch looks as if it 
grew in a cold clime; its leaves and fruit are neat and 
regular ; its twigs are stiff and unbending. It is of 
slow but steady growth. This, too, is a branch, and 
we must not destroy it. It is Episcopacy. Another 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 247 

runs along by the rivers, creeks, and bathing places, 
and c like a tree planted by the rivers of waters,' it 
is deep-rooted, vigorous and fruitful ; "but it is only 
a branch. This is the Baptist church. Neither must 
we destroy that. Thus might I show how beautifully 
our Savior's parable of the vine and the branches is 
realized in the thousand and one denominations that 
have risen since the advent of Messiah. He is the 
Sun, they are the planets, which of different magni- 
tudes, and at different distances, revolve around him, 
as their great center. All get their light from him. 
Some have more, some less light than others ; but 
all belong to the system, and there is only one sys- 
tem. But before I advance, I must inquire of Mr. 
Chairman if I have not misunderstood the object of 
the convention. That object has been represented 
to me as being an earnest effort to discover the 
basis of Bible truth on which all Christians can 
unite and cooperate in the great work of the world's 
conversion ; but from the discourse of this morning, 
one might infer that after all the ado about a union 
of Christians, the design is only to organize a Bap- 
tist church in the village of L . In the former 

case I feel a deep interest ; in the latter I could have 
nothing to do. You will oblige me by giving the 
explanation." 

Mr. Chairman. " A large majority of all the reli- 
gious denominations in our community, except the 
Episcopalians, have, from influences originating 
among ourselves, concluded that according to the 
Scriptures, the world can never be converted until 
religious schisms are destroyed, and God's people 
united on a common basis, or merged into one 



248 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

scriptural church. We agree that no church among 
us is scriptural in all its features. We believe that 
all Christians can live in a church entirely scriptu- 
ral, and it is the purpose of this convention to de- 
velop the scriptural organization for a church, that 
we may all join it. From our investigations we have 
reached the conclusion — unpleasant at first, but now 
not so repulsive — that we shall have to be Baptists. 
We invited Mr. Smedley from Virginia, that we 
might have the aid and counsel of a Baptist minister 
along with the other denominations. We have be- 
come willing and anxious for all the denominations 
to die out, except that which is exactly scriptural. 
If that can not be found, we intend here to form one, 
and shall be highly gratified by the aid of your ex- 
tensive Bible knowledge and unsurpassed learning." 

Dr. Robinson. " If that is your design you will 
have no further use for me, for I look upon the at- 
tempt as perfectly chimerical, and shall not permit 
my own folly to be chronicled with such a failure. 
If you will permit me, I may give some aid to form 
the conclusion I have reached, and you will thus the 
sooner end your vain labors. To this end allow me 
to recommend the remarks I have already made. I 
deem them quite conclusive/' 

For a few moments silence prevailed, while Dr. 
Eobinson was congratulating himself that he had 
put the whole movement to confusion by the aptness 
of his parable. Judge Eolen winked to Mr. Mullens 
to answer him, when he rose and said: 

"I'm only a backwoodsman and don't know who 
the stranger is, but his sophistry don't weigh much 
with me ; there is a plenty of people that are glad 



Oil THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 249 

of the schisms in Christ's body, and so is the devil • 
but if all people and the devil, too, were glad of them 
it would not make them right. If the brother will 
read his Bible closely, he will see that Christ was 
talking to his disciples when he said, 'Ye are the 
branches.' There war n't any sects in existenco 
then. I'll venture, if every one will think and act 
for himself, we '11 form a Bible church and all join 
it, either to-day or before this convention closes, 
unless it's somebody w T ith more bigotry than piety. 
And the church would be better off without that 
sort. With these few remarks I'll say no more." 

Chairman. " If you will always speak as briefly 
and as much to the point, you had better take back 
your promise ' to sj>eak no more.' " 

The great Doctor was completely disposed of. His 
fruitless effort to turn the convention from its par- 
pose only strengthened the hearts of its friends. If 
a thousand D.D.'s had, after this, tried to laugh to 
scorn their object, I do not believe it would have 
shaken one of them. Silence now reigned for a few 
moments, while awaiting a response to the chair- 
man's remarks. The doctor was silent, and the 
chairman said : 

"At least ten thousand people, on yesterday, voted 
their conviction that religious schism hinders the 
world's conversion. I desire to learn how many 
Christians, to-day present, are willing to join this 
convention in its object, not to form a Baptist 
church, as you may have been led to suppose, but 
to agree on the only scriptural basis of a church, and 
then adopt that. "VVe have resolved to make nothing 
a term of church organization which we can not, to 
11* 



250 the infidel's confession. 

the satisfaction of every Christian, prove scriptural 
It is believed that all present on yesterday, saw the 
practicability of such an object. Many of you may 
now wish yourselves absent. You may wish ' to 
confer with flesh and blood,' before voting on such 
a proposition. If you vote, you stand committed. 
If you refuse, you will suffer yourself to be counted 
against the object of the convention, and all present 
will know that you hold some tenets which, though 
you can not prove scriptural, you will not renounce 
for the glory of God and the conversion of the world 
both combined. This will be the severe test vote of 
this convention. But if you are not sufficiently in- 
fluenced by the fear of God to act on your individual 
responsibility, and to do right, though the heavens 
fall ; we need you not as a member of this conven- 
tion, or of God's church, and shall willingly count 
you against us. You need not vote at all, unless 
3'ou are willing to renounce all tradition, and to 
take all Scripture as your rule of faith and practice. 
You will have the privilege of moving the adoption 
of any sentiment you choose, but your only way of 
having it adopted is to prove it scriptural. All are 
supposed now ready for the question." 

Judge Rolen. " Before you take that vote, I sug- 
gest that it be understood that all the voters will be 
entitled to seats in the convention as members ; and 
while all are invited to be present, these all, and 
only these, can take part in the future actions of the 
convention. If there is no objection it would be 
well to include this in your proposition." 

Chairman , after a pause. " There seems no objec- 
tion. These, then, are the questions on which your 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 251 

votes are now solicited. Are you willing, for the 
union of all God's people, to renounce any sentiment 
which you, individually, can not prove scriptural ; 
and to adopt any that may he so proved to your 
individual satisfaction ? Christians only are invited 
to vote. You will please rise and stand until we can 
form an idea of the extent of the vote." 

The Doctor was in a pitiable attitude. He hated 
to vote against what he had just said, and had been 
saying all his life, and yet he hated almost as much 
to acknowledge that he held unscriptural tenets, 
which he would not renounce for the world's con- 
version ; and in great agitation he retained his seat. 
Among the voters were nearly all the Presbyterians 

in L and vicinity, a majority of the Methodists, 

a good number of the Eeformers, some of the most 
spiritual Episcopalians, and a multitude from a dis- 
tance which no man could number. It is impossible 
to describe the scene. During the whole session, 
scarcely five minutes elapsed without evidence that 
another soul was set at liberty. The wicked looked 
as if they thought the day of judgment had come. 
Dr. Eobinson looked puzzled. 

Mr. Mullens. "It's growing late; and I move that 
we appoint one man from each denomination, in- 
cluding Judge Eolen, of no denomination, as a com- 
mittee to draw up such a constitution as they all 
can agree is scriptural, and present it for our rati- 
fication on to-morrow." 

This motion passed without opposition. 

Committee. Judge Eolen, no denomination ; Eev. 
E. G-. Lockett, Baptist ; Eev. S. T. Eue, Episcopalian ; 
Rev. G-. K. Simmons, Methodist; Eev. H. 0. Hall. 



252 the infidel's confession, 

Reformer ; Rev. R. Osgood, Old School Presbyterian ; 
Rev. Samuel Peters, Xew School Presbyterian ; T. F. 
Raymond, Esq., Congregationalism 

These are all the denominations that were repre- 
sented there. After the announcement of preaching 
at night, and sunrise prayer-meeting in the morning 
at all the churches opened the previous night, the 
meeting adjourned, till ten o'clock on Saturday. 

A hurried conversation now took place at the 
stand between Messrs. Smedley, Todd, and others. 

Mr. Sellers. "■ The great Dr. Robinson, from the 
city of B , is with us to-day. He is the gentle- 
man whom Brother Mullens so abruptly and so effec- 
tually disposed of." 

" Indeed I" replied Mr. Smedley. " \Ye must have 
him preach to-night. I would travel twenty miles 
to hear him. He had a bad cause to-day, or his 
mark could not have been easily effaced. Shall we 
not have him to preach?" 

Mr. Todd drew a sigh as he remarked, u I have no 
greater paragon of pulpit power and eloquence ; but 
I doubt the propriety of having him to preach. He 
can not have the best of feelings toward the conven- 
tion, and if he would not give up tradition for the 
world's conversion, I confess I have no fellowship 
for him, and believe his preaching would injure the 
deep interest now felt in this community. "God 
knows the heart, and if it is not set on obedience, 
He will not bless its offering. Much as I should like 
to hear him, I could not now trust our cause in his 
hands/' 

" I can't help agreeing with you," said Mr. Sellers, 
u . for I have the full persuasion that God's work be- 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 253 

gan to be revived among us from the time that some 
of us became willing to give up tradition for the 
sake of His cause. For my own part, as long as I 
preached here, I saw no indications of the Divine 
blessing, until I gave up my un scriptural notions. 
Since then, my own soul has been blessed, and my 
ministry has been fruitful. No, I can not consent 
for Dr. Kobinson, after such a demonstration of his 
unconcern for the salvation of sinners, as he gave 
just now, to address the dying hundreds that will 
go to-night to each house of worship opened." 

"You Pedobaptists," replied Mr. Smedley, "when 
you do get your eyes open, and determine to re- 
nounce tradition, become the most ultra people I 
ever knew. What is the reason? Is it that you 
are sensible of having long neglected what you 
knew to be your duty, and suspect your former 
brethren for doing the same thing now? It is not 
always safe to measure another's coat by your own 
pattern." 

"It looks to me," replied Mr. Sellers, "so much 
like Infidelity in a man, who refuses to give up tra- 
dition for the world's conversion, that I can't believe 
he would do any good." 

" In good faith, Brother Sellers," earnestly replied 
Mr. Smedley, " did you not once feel unwilling to 
make the sacrifice you have now made ? Remember 
how hard it is for a great man to change his public 
views. He may not have studied the matter." 

It was finally agreed that the Doctor should be 
requested to preach, and Mr. Sellers was appointed 
to request him to do so. When Mr. Sellers had 
invited him, he sarcastically replied, "Why, sir, I 



254 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

understood from to-day's proceedings, that your 
convention denies that ours is a church of Christ. 
If you will satisfy me whether I am or not correct 
in this, I will answer you without delay." 

Mr. S. " I could only answer your question so far 
as my own opinion is concerned ; but I see not how 
it can affect the case. Inferring from your remark 
that you would decline preaching, if assured that 
the convention thinks as you suppose, I would ask, 
if you are as many, who love only such as indorse 
their peculiar views, and would rather take pleasure 
in displeasing all others/' 

"Not at all," replied the Doctor; "I only think 
it strange and inconsistent in you to invite one, 
whom you pronounce a member of no church, to 
preach. I could not comply with an invitation de- 
livered under such circumstances." 

" Without pronouncing the circumstances such as 
you have supposed," replied Mr. S. ; "I must say 
that I do not see the inconsistency of the invitation 
so clearly as you seem to see it. Do you regard 
the mere act of preaching a church office, that can 
not be filled by any one except appointed by the 
church ?" 

" Certainly ; our church will not allow it by any- 
body and everybody." 

"Making, as I do, a great distinction between a 
preacher and a minister, I am compelled to differ 
from you. I have ever thought it right to have the 
private members of our church to exercise in public 
by prayer and exhortation. Many a time, when I 
have been absent from our church on the Sabbath, 
Mr. McGruder, a prominent lawyer of our church, has 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 255 

conducted the exercises very much to the edification 
and satisfaction of the people. u Do you think it 
was wrong?" 

" Oh, no! 1 often do, and love to do the like my- 
self; but that is a different case." 

" Not at all ; unless your being considered no 
member of a church would make that difference." 

" That is the difference ; and a very important 
one, I assure you." 

" Consistency is a jewel ! If I am not misin- 
formed, you have, at least, allowed the practice. 
Did not several of your young converts in the revi- 
val of B , last winter, exhort publicly, and even 

lead the prayer-meetings sometimes, and that before 
joining the church at all?" 

" Yes ; and I heartily approved of it ; and I must 
confess my reason for declining is more inconsistent 
than your invitation. But you must still allow me 
to decline, because, with all respect to your feelings, 
I would rather be excused." 

"At your request, of course, we will excuse you, 
though the invitation was a sincere one, and hun- 
dreds would have been gratified by your compliance. 
But I would remark, in justice to my own views, 
that if to invite or to hear a man preach, necessarily 
indorses his church as one of Christ's, I should be 
very unwilling to hear you, or to invite you to 
preach. We are required to prove all things, and 
to hold fast that which is good; and under this 
duty, I would infer the possibility of learning a 
great many good things even from those who are 
not infallibly correct in all things." "With this 
closed the conversation. 



256 THE INFIDEL S CONFESSION, 

All efforts to record the interest of the night meet- 
ing would be in vain. Millennial glory was thought 
to be dawning. Such power the Gospel had never 
before displayed in the memory of any present. 
The morning-prayer meetings were all crowded, 
and interesting beyond description. The whole 
populace seemed spellbound by a reverence for re- 
ligion. 

Pursuant to adjournment, the Convention was or- 
ganized by singing, reading, and prayer, at ten 
o'clock, on Saturday. There was no perceptible 
diminution in the extent of the crowd. Indeed, a 
thousand, more or less, could scarcely have been 
seen to affect the size of the multitude. The propo- 
sition adopted at the close of the meeting the day 
preceding, was repeated by the chairman, and assur- 
ance given that all who felt willing to sanction it, 
would be considered members of the Convention, 
and entitled to equal privileges. The minutes being 
heard, and adopted, the report of the Committee on 
a Constitution, was called for, and read as follows: 

" The Committee charged with the duty to draft 
a Scriptural constitution for the Church of Jesus 

Christ in L , beg leave to report, that we have 

felt the need of the Spirit breathed in the closing 
resolution of yesterday's meeting. Every variety 
of religious sentiment we have had to accommodate. 
It has therefore been after much brotherly discus- 
sion of our little differences, and examination into 
their real weight and value, that we have concurred 
in the following articles. Nothing but the stringent 
and reasonable resolution of yesterday, 'to give up 
all we could not prove Scriptural, and to adopt 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 257 

what is so proved,' has kept us from disbanding in 
confusion and bitterness. We are now all agreed 
and are happy in the agreement. We are free to 
confess that the greatest difficulty we have had to 
meet was a reverence for tradition. Some of us have 
held it in some points as equal in authority with 
the Bible itself. We have, in the outset of our 
efforts, given each his evidences of conversion. In 
these we have been entirely harmonious, and like 
drops of kindred fluid, our hearts have run together, 
and are so cemented by love and fellowship, that 
finite considerations could not bribe us to break 
the ties we must continually love to cherish. It 
may be that this vast concourse of God's people 
will deem our Covenant too simple to be made the 
constitution of a church ; and if so, it can be altered 
or amended when you have received our report. 

" Covenant. 

"Having, through Jesus Christ, obtained mercy and ac- 
ceptance with God, we agree to unite ourselves with all of 
like precious faith, to guard the ordinances of Christ, and to 
furnish the world with the Gospel, and to promote our mu- 
tual growth in grace, by private and social worship; and to 
avoid, as far as possible, the controversies which mark the 
various schisms of the age, we make the following the prin- 
ciples of our union: 

1. "We will invite such, and only such, to join us as give 
full evidence of faith in Christ. On this point, we must see 
manifest a sorrow for sin, a willingness to forsake it, and to 
repair the injuries done in wickedness, and to serve our 
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, in all things, without cavil or 
hesitation. 

2. "On the manifestation of such evidence, every candi' 



258 the infidel's confession, 

date for membership must be immersed by some one whom 
the church may have appointed to fill the office of minister. 

3. " We agree that the design of immersion, as well as of 
all other Christian acts and duties, is to obey our Lord and 
Savior Jesus Christ, and thus honor him as the only Captain 
of our salvation. 

4. " That all persons thus inducted into our union, in 
whatever part of the world, have a Scriptural right to come 
to the Lord's Table; and that to allow others, would be un- 
scriptural, and subversive of the church. 

5. " That in all matters of faith and discipline, the Bible 
shall be our only source of appeal. 

G. " That all the members of the whole church, when met 
for business, shall have each an equal right to vote in the 
reception and expulsion of members, and in the election of 
church officers. 

"Signed by the Committee." 

The report was received, the Committee dis- 
charged, and the articles considered one by one and 
discussed. 



CHAPTER XIII.— The Difficulty Solved. 

The Committee's report being received, it was 
voted to consider each article of the covenant sepa- 
rately. 

1st. The preamble was re-read and adopted without 
discussion. The first article of the covenant was 
then taken up and considered. Its adoption being 

seconded, Rev. Mr. Singleton, from H , arose and 

remarked, " that he " could not oppose that article, 



OK THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 259 

because he thought it well for adults on joining the 
church to give full evidence of conversion, but," 
said he, " the covenant makes no provision for infant 
membership. Did the committee forget to insert a 
provision for that?" 

Judge 'Rolen. " It was mentioned and strenuously 
urged, but no one of our number could cite the 
Scripture authority for it, and we finally agreed to 
leave it out. But it will be very easy to insert a 
clause providing for it, if any one can show the 
Scripture proof that infants are to be members of 
the church. It will be remembered we have agreed 
to adopt as church articles only what each, one can 
agree is Scriptural." 

Mr. Singleton. " If Baptism under the JSTew Testa- 
ment Dispensation is the same as circumcision under 
the Old, I think infant membership very fairly infer- 
able. "We should make short speeches, and I will not 
elaborate." 

Judge B. " If baptism does take the place of cir- 
cumcision, it seems to me it will spring several very 
perplexing questions. 1. Why has not circumcision 
ceased to be observed among the Jews ? 2. How 
can we infer the right of females to baptism? 3. 
How can we exclude from it the adult descendants 
of those who become members ? 4. How can we ex- 
clude their servants, whether born in their families, 
or bought with their money ? 5. As every Jew par- 
took of the Passover, how can we exclude from the 
supper now our infants and servants. But I accept 
the brother's hint to make short speeches, and will 
pledge myself to adopt infant membership, with all 
the legitimate consequences of its succession to cir- 



260 the infidel's confession, 

cumcision, if the brother will give a Bible text show- 
ing that it did come in the room of circumcision/' 

Several moments passed in silence, when the Judge 
remarked, as he discovered the embarrassment of 
Mr. Singleton, that he " would not be particular to 
demand such Bible text of Brother Singleton ; that 
any one who could might adduce it with the same 
effect." 

Mr. Singleton turned to Dr. Eobinson with an im- 
ploring look, and so clearly signified a petition for 
help that the Doctor understood him and shook his 
head. 

"Your demand is reasonable/' said Mr. Singleton, 
" but I can not to-day think of such text in the 
Bible." 

Judge. " To relieve this and all similar difficulties, 
I move that we agree to adopt infant baptism when- 
ever any one will adduce the required text from the 
Bible." 

"Agreed i" said Mr. Singleton, as if delighted with 
the notion, and it was unanimously adopted. 

3Tr. Hall. "I must make a short speech on that 
article. The bona fide members of my denomination 
will all be excluded by it. We are wont to deny all 
evidence of conversion before baptism. With us 
conversion means baptism. It is so explained by 
Elder A. Campbell. But I do n't object to the article. 
I came very near losing my soul by the view our 
denomination takes of conversion. A church should 
be a home for the converted, and I shall vote for 
the resolution." The vote was unanimous. 

The second article, requiring the immersion of all 
the converts by some one appointed by a regular 



OR THE POWER OE CHRISTIAN UNION. 261 

Gospel church to administer the ordinance, was then 
taken up. Judge E. moved its adoption, remarking 
that "all the different denominations consider im- 
mersion a valid mode/' 

U I object to taking the vote on that motion yet," 
said Mr. Smedley, "we are now trying to agree in 
the one baptism which will preclude all others, and 
satisfy every Christian. I propose that brother 
Moderator take the suffrages of this convention for 
each of the several baptisms generally practiced in 
our land. In that way each can express his pre- 
ference." 

Chairman. " The suggestion is a good one. I hope 
all will vote your sentiments. As the crowd is so 
great, you will please vote by rising and standing 
until we can count the votes. We will take the vote 
for each mode in the same way. All whose con- 
sciences would be satisfied to see sprinkling become 
the universal and only mode of baptism will now 
rise." 

" Excuse a moment's interruption," said an intel- 
ligent looking stranger, "I have always advocated 
and practiced that mode. But I can not now vote 
for it. My conscience is no longer satisfied with it, 
and especially could I not be willing for it to become 
the universal and only mode. I could not refrain 
from speaking, lest my numerous acquaintances here 
to-day. should notice my not voting, and ascribe it to 
a wrong motive. My notions have changed since I 
came to this Convention ; and the greatest change 
of which I am conscious, is that I now feel resolved 
to have Bible authority for all I practice in the 
future." 



262 THE infidel's confession, 

Chairman. " Much obliged to the stranger for his 
speech. We can afford to pause much longer for 
such." 

During a pause of several minutes, a considerable 
number arose and remarked that the stranger's speech 
had expressed their views and feelings. The question 
being then called, the chairman distinctly laid the 
motion before the Convention. Said he, " all whose 
consciences would be satisfied to see sprinkling be- 
come the universal and only mode of baptism will 
vote." Ninety-three arose. 

Chairman. " It is plain from the nature of the 
question to be voted on, that those who have just 
voted that their consciences would be satisfied with 
sprinkling, may possibly have the same feelings 
toward pouring or immersion. It may be that the 
very ones can vote for all three of the modes. We 
wish you to answer each question as your consciences 
may dictate. All whose consciences would be satis- 
fied to see pouring become the universal and only 
mode of baptism will vote." One hundred and two 
voted. It was thought that nearly every one who 
voted before, voted this time ; perhaps every one. 
The question was then taken on immersion. 

Chairman. "All whose consciences would be satis- 
fied to see immersion become the universal and only 
mode of baptism, will vote." 

The crowd arose, but a thousand might have re- 
fused to rise and not been noticed. 

Chairman. "We can't count this vast multitude. 
You will please be seated. All whose consciences 
would not be satisfied to see immersion become the 
universal and only mode of baptism, will vote. If, 



OK THE POWEIi OP CHRISTIAN UNION. 263 

before God, it would injure your consciences to see 
all who love God united in one church, and harmo- 
nizing in their baptism, and that baptism immersion,. 
I beseech you to rise. O, my friends, let nothing 
intimidate you. If you think immersion wrong, 
vote against it. It is your duty to do so/' After a 
short pause, a well-dressed gentleman, with only one 
arm, arose from his seat near the stand and said : 

"Mr. Chairman : I am unwilling to contribute any 
longer the influence of my silence to the dangerous 
policy which this blinded and enthusiastic multitude 
seem about to sanction. I have waited thus long in 
the hope that some one else would tear away the 
vail which has made blind the assembly ; but I now 
feel that I should be faithless to the interests it is 
my duty to sustain in the circuit over which I pre- 
side, and should be obnoxious to the censures of 
that glorious body, the Conference from which I 
received the appointment of Elder, if I should con- 
tinue silent. I deem it only necessary to warn the 
enthusiastic thousands now present how they com- 
mit themselves to an enterprise whose very remem- 
brance may embitter their entire future with vain 
regrets. I tell you," continued he, as boiling over 
with the ardor of his declamation, he mounted upon 
a bench, and said, " I tell you, my dying and respon- 
sible friends, that you are in danger. I beg you to 
beware ! I am astonished that there is not, in all 
this crowd, one who has the nerve to stand up for 
his principles. Mr. President, I know it is not con- 
viction that has spellbound this audience, and if 
you will do me the favor once more to take the vote, 
I think you will see a very different result. I thank 



264 the infidel's confession. 

you for your indulgence." As he resumed his seat 
near one of the preachers of his circuit, that preacher 
grasped his hand warmly and whispered in his ear 
words no doubt of congratulation ; for the vote being 
once more taken those two only were seen to rise. 
"Only two," said the Chairman, "even now 'have 
the nerve' to declare themselves unwilling to see 
immersion the prevalent and only mode of baptism 
practiced by Christians. The Clerk will please re- 
cord their names; they are Elder Eedman and Mr. 
Wheeler. Immersion is then the mode preferred. 
Shall I now declare the second article adopted?" 

Mr. H. " The point is settled with me ; but I. 
make the inquiry to avoid misunderstanding. Can 
our union so far recognize the validity of baptism 
administered by denominations not in fellowship 
with us as to receive members from them without 
re-baptism ? " 

The Stranger. "It seems to me that question is 
answered in the article itself. Our union can not 
authorize administrators in other denominations. 
If we receive their baptism, we shall, according 
to the clear showing of yesterday's address, by that 
very act indorse them as churches, and instead of 
reducing schisms, give the full weight of our sanc- 
tion to aid their perpetuity. I hate to say that the 
opposite view can not be inferred from the article, 
but I did not so understand it." 

Mr. H. " Neither did I ; but I was desirous that 
attention should be called to that point. A valid 
baptism can only be administered by a bona fide 
Gospel church. If a church opposed to ours is 
right, it proves ours wrong. I should be better 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 265 

satisfied if our Chairman would get an expression 
on this point." 

Chairman. " It is also ray understanding that bap- 
tisms by other denominations would be invalid with 
us. Those of a contrary opinion will please vote by 
rising. " None rose. " I will now declare the second 
article adopted. We are now ready to consider the 
third, which declares the design of immersion to be 
nothing more nor less than to obey the King in Zion, 
or to show our allegiance to Him." 

Mr. K. " I have considered its design very differ- 
ent ; but it is my highest pleasure and happiness to- 
day, to agree with that article. I had thought it 
God's appointed method for washing away sin ; had 
deemed it as essential to forgiveness as repentance 
or faith. But God be praised that I have seen my 
error in due time to take refuge in Christ. What- 
ever we may say about the suggestive grandeur and 
symbolic beauty of immersion, a converted Bible 
student, I am persuaded, can consider it only 
designed to show the obedient disposition of its 
subjects, and not to secure the remission of sin. 
Another design, no doubt, God had in appointing 
the three ordinances, Baptism, the Supper, and the 
Ministry, which was to give visibility to his church, 
and to plead, as living monuments, to his remem- 
brance ; but after all we can say about these, its 
design is to declare our faith and obedience to 
Christ" 

Chairman. " Though it be but little to the purpose, 

I feel, too, like acknowledging the error of my former 

belief on this point. In fact I never have been able 

to see the propriety of the name which our confea 

12 



2{iG tub infidel's confession, 

sion of faith gives to baptism. It calls it a 'seal/ 
But we are sealed by the Holy Spirit of God. And 
then we are compelled to make it one thing to be- 
lievers and another to infants. I much like the 
design here ascribed to it. It keeps prominently 
public the idea that its subject is a believer. A 
disobedient believer is as great an anomaly as an 
obedient unbeliever. But I beg pardon, others may 
desire to speak before the vote is taken." 

The question was called for and the article unani- 
mously adopted. 

Article fourth, declaring it to be the duty of all 
such, and only such, as belong to churches in fellow- 
ship with us, to receive the Lord's Supper. Its 
adoption being moved, several rose at once to speak. 
The chairman decided that Mr. Theus had the floor, 
and he said: "That is the only article in the cove- 
nant I feel like altering. I never can consent to be 
a close communionist. I sometimes think I have in 
my nature a painful amount of generosity and com- 
panionableness. I think I can give up any thing 
that principle requires, but I do not see that it re- 
quires us to be so exclusive. My wife is opposed, I 
fear, irreconcilably opposed to this union. Xow, 
shall I, by joining it, be forced to decline commun- 
ing with her among the Presbyterians? I could 
not stand it; there is not a feeling in my impulsive 
nature but recoils at the thought." Quite a lengthy 
silence followed, and as no one spoke, it was con- 
cluded that all who had arisen to speak at first, 
agreed with Mr. Theus, and felt sntisfied with hi* 
speech. 

Judge. "There can bo no close oommnnion in our 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 267 

church, because it has no schismatic principles. 
Mrs. Theus, in joining our church, would have no 
un scriptural principle to subscribe. To take the 
Supper with it, is exactly one with joining it, so far 
as principle is concerned. If she can not join us, it 
must be because of some objectionable principle we 
hold. If, then, she commune with us, she will 
have to indorse that objectionable feature." 

Mr. Theus. " I see the force of your argument, so 
far as it keeps her from communing with us; but I 
might want to commune with her ; and you did not 
meet that case." 

Judge. " Christians regard consistency a great 
jewel. I can very soon show you that you can't 
think of attending a Presbyterian communion table. 
It is not the Lord's table, unless spread by the 
Lord's church. If ours is the Lord's church, the 
Presbyterian is not: because, as you say, it irrecon- 
cilably opposes ours. If you go to that table, you 
proclaim it G-od's church, and thus deny that yours 
is his at all/' "I see," said Mr. Theus. "But I 
am not through," said the Judge. "If ours be the 
church of Christ, it is the indispensable duty of all 
his people to join it. If they can not submit to its 
principles, it is because they can not submit to its 
King. But I tell you, all who are his can and will 
submit, when they understand the principles of his 
organization. If we can only succeed in explaining 
them clearly, they will attract and attach every 
Christian in every community. There will be no 
Christians left in opposing organizations. That the 
bigoted and the hypocritical will remain there, I have 
no doubt, Now. as to the charitv of the thing. You 



268 THE infidel's confession, 

see a Christian, for instance, your wife, deceived by 
the idea that she is in Christ's church, when you 
know she is not ; and instead of using all your in- 
fluence to convince her of the great crime of joining 
a sham church, in what they call the Lord's Supjoer, 
you, every now and then, join her in that crime. It 
is such charity as the devil uses, when he baits the 
people of God into sin and sorrow — such as I should 
use if, when I should see you about to drink, for a 
wholesome draught, a dose of deadly poison, I 
should not tell you of your error, but should join 
you in it. I should have charity enough to entice 
you into self-destruction and to die along with you. 
This is precisely the character of that charity which 
some persons boast, when they censure a faithful 
effort to tear the mask from a soul-deluding error, 
and lead the deceived into the light of truth. Cod 
says, ' Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, 
and shalt not suffer sin upon him.' We are, there- 
fore, chargeable with any error in our neighbor, 
that we make no effort to correct." 

Chairman. " Several arose at once to speak, and 
had to resume their seats. The floor is now vacant, 
and we shall be pleased to hear from them." 

Another stranger (after a pause). " I arose to ad- 
vance the sentiments which Mr. Theus advanced. 
He more than relieved me of the duty of speaking; 
for he did it better than I could have done. The 
Judge has, however, so completely shown the unrea- 
sonableness and folly of my difficulty, that it has 
entirely vanished. I now see that the article con- 
tains the only strictly open communion sentiment; 
and that if our union were to open its doors promis- 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 269 

cuously to all its ecclesiastical enemies, it would no 
longer be a home for all Christians. The majority 
of all Christians will always prefer a pure com- 
munion table, guarded in gospel order, rather than 
one to whose privileges there are no defined pre- 
requisites. For one, I feel grateful to the Judge for 
his plain and lucid explanation of this oft-mooted 
point. My wonder is, that, after the speeches of yes- 
terday and the day before, I was not convinced, 
without the speech of to-day." 

Mr. Todd. il That is not so wonderful after all. 
The resolution, which slew our prejudices, and pre- 
pared us for the reception of truth on these matters, 
was not proposed and carried until yesterday, after 
Mr. Smedley's address. Methought I saw Satan fall 
from heaven, with the passage of that resolution. 
It broke the spell of prejudice with which a reve- 
rence for tradition had vailed thousands of minds. 
Nearly three months ago I took the same resolve, 
and the reproaches of an unclouded judgment, for 
past stupidity and prejudice, made me ashamed of 
myself. It is no wonder to me that arguments are 
to-day irresistibly convincing, which were, a few 
days ago, powerless and puerile." 

Chairman. " The motion to adopt the resolution is 
still open for remarks. For ray own part, I see no 
chance for the existence of a purely Christian de- 
nomination outside of this union ; and we could not 
wish to commune with one anti-christian in its prin- 
ciples or membership. That people will not join us, 
when they understand us, will prove them anti- 
christian, and we should not desire their communion, 
I suppose I shall bo called a bigot, by such as under 



270 the infidel's confession, 

stand, but do not mean to join us. But much as it 
may wound my feelings now to hear it, it will do 
me no harm, when I come to die. I am not my 
own, but am bought Avith a price. But I am digress- 
ing. Will any others speak on this article? The 
question being called for, all who favor its adoption 
will vote. It seems unanimous ; but if any oppose 
it such will please vote. It is unanimous, and arti- 
cle fourth is adopted. We will now consider the 
fifth article of the covenant. It secures to each 
church-member an equality of power and privilege 
in the temporal government of the church — that all 
have a voice in the recejjtion and expulsion of mem- 
bers, in the election of officers, of pastors, and in 
everything else not clearly regulated by the Scrip- 
tures. In other words, this article proposes to make 
the church congregational and republican, which is 
strictly according to the New Testament pattern. 
What will you do with it? Its adoption being 
moved and seconded, discussion is now in order." 

Mr. Seely. " It is with no little embarrassment that 
I call attention to a few remarks. My youth should 
plead the excuse of my silence to the last, but for 
the deep interest I feel in the adoption of that 
article. Born and reared under the most absolute 
religious despotism known on earth, not excepting 
even Catholicity itself, I have learned the value of 
religious liberty. With us the dictum of the clergy 
is law in everything. We can consult in the employ- 
ment of our preacher, neither our own taste, nor 
that of our community, nor our pecuniary strength. 
He is sent to us by the Conference, and Avhether we 
like him or not. we have to hear and sustain him ; 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 271 

and when Conference says the word, if our hearts and 
eyes follow him with sorrow and tears, we have to 
give him up. When he comes, it is with him to re- 
ceive or reject members. He, too, has the sole power 
of expulsion. Our quarterly dues we have to pay, 
and though we create a fund of a million of dollars, 
we have no voice in its appropriation. All our lay- 
men and stationed preachers are excluded from a 
participation in any thing connected with the char- 
acter of our denomination. The terms of member- 
ship and expulsion have been changed again and 
again; and we have no recourse but to leave Meth- 
odism. The New Testament clearly makes it the 
right and duty of every member of the church to 
vote in all its transactions. I feel enthusiastic for 
the adoption of this article." 

Mr. Mullens. " I am glad Brother Seeiy has spoken. 
He has said what I wanted to say, only better than 
I could have done it. I hope there are four thou- 
sand Christians here to join our union, when it is 
organized. Methodism could not take them in under 
six months. The New Testament church would take 
them in the same day of their conversion. But 
there's plenty here with more sense than me, and 
I'll stop." 

Chairman. " The question on the adoption of ar- 
ticle fifth, being called for, all who favor it will vote. 
The crowd is so great, we must request those who 
oppose it to rise, or forever, in future, hold your 
peace. None arise, and I declare the article unani- 
-rnously adopted. Our sixth and last article in the 
covenant reported, is that the Bible alone shall be 
our man of counsel in all matters of doctrine, din 



272 the infidel's confession, 

cipline, and practice. Its adoption is moved and 
seconded. Its discussion is in order." 

After a long silence, the question was put, and 
the article adopted without opposition. When it 
was declared adopted, Mr. Todd, although in dis- 
order, arose and said : "While I can not oppose such 
an article as that, yet, impelled, it may be, by the force 
of education, I fear that without some creed or con- 
fession of faith, Ave shall not have among us the har- 
mony of sentiment in religion, we could desire. At 
all events the subject is new, and I should like to 
hear something from one who has maturely consid- 
ered the propriety of the article. I do not think a 
creed necessarily schismatic, unless it has schismatic 
tenets in it. I should fear that a want of definite 
limits to our preachers would ultimate in impurity 
of pulpit exhibitions, and this glorious union might 
thus be incumbered with needless prejudices and 
suspicions. I move that the Convention permit and 
invite Judge Eolen to make a few remarks on these 
points. It may yet be deemed necessary to recon- 
sider the adoption of this article/' The motion car- 
ried. 

Judge. "I think the fears expressed will prove to 
be the result of education only. The Bible is a doc- 
ument more clear and definite in its teachings than 
it is possible for a human document to be. Had we 
a brief of Scripture doctrine, it would satisfy many 
of our preachers to know what it teaches, and they 
would never themselves deduce their views from the 
Bible, and consequently know but too little of their 
advocacy and defense. A truth deduced from God's 
Word by personal study, is a flame of light, be- 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 273 

spangled with a bright halo of rich thoughts, which 
attend and reward its discovery. Found in the 
abstractions of a system, it is like an isolated color 
abstracted from the blended beauties of the rainbow. 
It loses its power to fire the soul of its advocate, 
and falls on the unmoved hearers, like snowfiakes 
on a mountain of ice. If you want a stupid minis- 
try, give them a skeleton of what they are to preach. 
Give them their positions, and fancy and speculation 
instead of revelation, will be their sources of proof, 
till all their emotions are frozen, and infidelity ren- 
ders both themselves and their parishioners distrust- 
ful of almost every truth in the Bible. God's truth 
is the diet of the soul. He hath mixed its elements 
in wholesome proportions. There is no danger that a 
converted man will be led into heresy by the Bible, 
and if we put an unconverted man into the 'pulpit, 
no human creed can constrain him to preach pure 
doctrine. A vitiated taste will find and feast on its 
own aliment. A minister more ambitious of bap- 
tizing numbers than of sound conversions, will 
preach Campbellism. Oar best ways to guard the 
pulpit are to put into it men of sound hearts, and 
to make the church-members competent judges of 
truth. They can then detect and depose heretics. 
But they become poor judges by reading abstracts 
of truth. An abstract is useful chiefly to him who 
forms it. 

" Suppose we make for our church an abstract of 
Bible principles, what can we put into it? Let 
Mr. Todd suggest any sentiment he would have it 
set forth, and I will demonstrate, in a moment, the 
impossibility of making it a term of our organizu- 
12* 



274 the infidel's confession, 

tion. ' The necessity of regeneration.' That is in the 
Covenant. I will now show you how easily that 
can be made a term of our union, while many other 
truths equally glorious can not. If any doubt the 
necessity of regeneration, please rise. Not one. 
Now name some tenet not in our covenant. ' The 
final perseverance of all believers.' Very well. If any 
deem it possible for true believers in Christ, or re- 
generate persons finally to come short of heaven, 
you will please rise. Perhaps two thousand rise, 
mostly young converts. Now could they conscien- 
tiously join a church which requires them to jDrofess 
their belief of that doctrine? Never. Our last 
article sends them to the Bible to form their belief. 
They all, by-and-by become established in that and 
all other Bible tenets, if, without previous bias, they 
carefully study their Bibles. I'll stop, if no one 
moves a reconsideration of article sixth. I would 
not say one superfluous word." Silence, unbroken 
silence, proclaimed the satisfaction universal in the 
crowd. 



OK THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 275 



CHAPTER XIV.— Fruits gathered. 

The difficulties to the union of God's people were 
now removed. It was the next object to devise a 
way for the baptism of those who were ready to be 
organized into a church. This was attended with no 
difficulty, since there were in the Convention two 
ordained ministers of Gospel churches, Mr. Smedley 
and Mr. Lockett. These ministers, on requesting all 
the United Baptists in the crowd to come forward 
and enroll their names as a council to aid in organ- 
izing the church, found no less than seventy-three. 
The council being organized the Covenant of the 
proposed church was read to them. They pro- 
nounced it harmonious with their respective cove- 
nants, and agreed to give to all who adopted it the 
hand of fellowship so soon as they were baptized. 
Judge Rolen then offered himself, saying : " I have 
long desired to obey my Savior, in baptism, and 
in all the duties of a church member. Christ 
is my only Savior, and it is my most cherished 
purpose to be his servant." At this a flood of grate- 
ful tears poured involuntarily down his joyous 
cheeks, and the crowd in sympathy rejoiced and 
wept. 

Then came Mr. Sellers and his wife, Mr. Mullens 
and his wife, Mr. Todd and his wife, Mr. Seely, Mr. 
Theus and his wife, and many others. After a brief 
examination by the council, they were all recognized 
as Bible subjects for baptism, except Mrs. Todd and 
Mrs. Theus. who declared their reason for offering 



276 THE infidel's confession, 

themselves to the union that they wished to be in 
church relations with their husbands. The council 
unanimously pronounced it a rejection of Christ to 
join what we do not consider his church merely be- 
cause we prefer to follow men — that if one could bo 
willing to live in any other organization called a 
church, he was not sufficiently decided to follow 
Christ, at all hazards, to be received by that union. 
After examination of near forty candidates, the min- 
isters agreed to baptize for an hour each the next 
morning, beginning at 8 o'clock. Voted to resume 
the examination of candidates at night in the Pres- 
byterian and Eeform churches, while Judge Eolen 
should preach at the Methodist house. 

Before adjourning the convention, the reader 
should look over yonder at Dr. Robinson. He seems 
restlessly awaiting a suitable opportunity to con- 
vince the vast assembly of his enunciated proposi- 
tion, ' : That it is folly to hope for the reconciliation 
and union of God's people " — that our Savior's 
prayer to that end was too silly for him to manifest 
a purpose harmonious with its spirit; that in his 
esteem it were better far that they waste their 
strength in the fierce antagonisms of which schism 
is the fruitful parent. He has sat there all this 
while, as if most earnestly attempting, but in vain, 
to abstract his attention from the unpleasing scenes 
which surround him. I pity, from my soul, the 
great man who is a slave to public opinion. He is 
now convinced that Christ was right and reasonable 
in the pra3 T er, that his people should ail be one; 
but if he does his duty and joins the union he fears 
that he shall not be able to convince his church 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 277 

he is right, and then he must lose the smiles 
of those he loves. If an historian might be par- 
doned for stopping to moralize, I would preach a 
short sermon on the text, " The leaders cause my 
people to err." I would first note the endearing 
and confidential attachment which binds together 
the faithful pastor and his people; their readiness to 
receive from his lips both his statement of facts and 
his deductions from the same ; the indifferency with 
which they search into truth beyond the depth and 
custom of his teachings; the confidence with which 
they expect him to tell them all the dangers in doc- 
trine and practice to which they are liable ; his sup- 
posed freedom from all motives to mislead ; the lovo 
he evinces in all his ministrations, both public and 
private ; his melting supplications for their spiritual 
good in temporal prosperity; his sympathy and at- 
tention in adversity; his tears mingled with theirs 
in affliction ; his condolence in the sad gloom of 
bereavement ; his devotion to the cause they all love. 
These relations, when properly sustained, generate 
and foster an influence irresistible for good or evil. 
The people can not be easily persuaded that what 
their pastor teaches them is erroneous. They trust 
both his knowledge and his intentions. 

Such and so dear and powerful are the influences 
consequent on these heaven-appointed relations. 
And so let them be ! Palsied be the tongue that 
would, by the utterance of suspicion, enfeeble the 
ties with which piety and duty bind together the 
souls of pastors and their people ! Still more 
dread be the woe to that spiritual guide who will- 
fully allows, or wickedly desires and labors to per- 



278 the infidel's confession, 

petuate the ignorance of his people in whatever may 
concern their usefulness and happiness ! 

Again, I would advert to the sparsity of indepen- 
dent investigation and thought which private Chris- 
tians in general have opportunity to give to profound 
subjects of controversy. They have neither time 
nor the information to detect the errors which di- 
vide Christians into parties. Taught to consider 
the peculiar views of all opposing parties as the 
result of prejudice, they fear, even when convinced, 
to adopt what seems to them to be truth. A few 
scoffs at their conclusions, when they come from 
their pastor, will discourage most of them from fur- 
ther investigations. Had Dr. Robinson gone into 
the union under the conviction of duty, which was 
all the time warring against his pride of position, ho 
would, on his return to his brethren, have given the 
reasons of his conduct in an affectionate and earn- 
est manner, and in all probability every one of them 
would have seen the propriety of his conduct and 
would have joined him in it. His members are 
tired any how of having to refer inquirers to the 
superior learning of Dr. Robinson to show what sort 
of reasoning will justify the sprinkling of adults or 
of infants. They would rather by far have such 
church tenets as they could justify by a mere quota- 
tion of the Scriptures, and such only would they 
have if not influenced by their leader to believe the 
truth of God not intended to mean what it does 
mean. Yes, the ministers cause God's people to err. 
But for the weight of human names and human in- 
fluence they would see eye to eye in the interpreta- 
tion of their duty from the Bible, and instead of 



OR THE POWER OP CHRISTIAN UNION. 279 

destroying, would build up each other. They would 
harmoniously bend their energies to the same great 
work. 

Then, too, the suspicion of seductive influence, 
sought in the efforts of others than their pastors, to 
show them their errors of faith or polity, makes them 
afraid to regard seriously even the truth itself, be- 
cause they fear it may not be truth. Thousands 
may read this little book, and tremble all the time 
under a consciousness of duty to leave a schismatic 
communion and join the church of Christ; but, alas! 
the question, " What will my pastor think of me? " 
is asked and answered by a few scornful sneers, or 
an affectation of argument to show such a course to 
be sinful. Then is grieved the Holy Spirit of God 
in the neglect of his gentle wooings to the path of 
duty. 

Perhaps some editor, influenced by jealousy for 
his endangered craft, will caution his readers against 
it, as highly calculated to mislead. In all these ways 
are the credulity and the confidence of church-mem- 
bers often abused by their guides in religion. Hence 
it is needful and obligatory, that we remember that 
God only is to be our Judge. Thus shall we make 
his Word, as interpreted by our own judgment, 
our final rule in all matters pertaining to the 
conscience. 

If every minister would realize his duty and 
responsibility, how soon would schism be removed 
and the world converted ! But, alas ! great numbers 
thank their God that there are so many sects, so that 
all who want some religion can be gratified by the 
presence of one suited to his taste. But the inci- 



280 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

dents of my story and the wearied patience of the 
reader forbid me to linger. 

With the pleasing task of hearing the experiences 
of young converts, God's people never grow weary. 
It was ten o'clock at night when these exercises 
were suspended at the churches. About three hun- 
dred members were received at the two places. They 
were all baptized the next morning. At 11 o'clock 
they met at the Presbyterian church with Mr. Lock- 
ett, and after receiving the hand of fellowship from 
the council, they elected their deacons, and made 
arrangements to ordain them and also to the minis- 
try, Judge Eolen, Messrs. Sellers, Hall, and Seely, 
who had expressed their desire to become ministers 
of the Gospel. Mr. Smedley preached at the stand. 
In view of the large number to be baptized, it was 
resolved to ordain the candidates immediately after 
morning services at the stand. This was done 
by prayer and imposition of hands by Messrs. 
Smedley and Lockett. At night again they con- 
tinued to receive members, at all the houses of wor- 
ship. They requested that those living at a distance 
and wishing to be baptized before necessity should 
require them to leave the Convention, would come 
forward first. The examinations were as brief as 
they could be to be satisfactory. Their effect upon 
the people was like enchantment, lumbers, be- 
fore deemed Gospel-hardened, were by the simple 
narration of God's dealings with young converts in 
their return to him, made to tremble and weep like 
infancy. One thing was remarkable — only a few of 
the converts could tell what particular circumstance 
first awakened them to serious reflection. Most of 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 28} 

them ascribed it to the general solemnity felt through 
the community and assembly, and said they had been 
haunted by an indefinable and irresistible sense of 
melancholy wretchedness, and had been driven to 
prayer as the only way of venting their deep 
agony. 

The people continued to meet and to baptize every 
day for a week. The crowds did not seem to grow 
less. There was but little preaching save that of 
young converts, who told with joy what the Lord 
had done for them. Like the converts on the day 
of Pentecost, they went to their homes bearing the 
joyful news, and many in every community were 
awakened, and seeming to think the preachers 
of the Convention, so signally blessed, were God's 
favorites, they were sending after them from every 
region, the Macedonian cry, " Come over and help 
us." Messrs. Rolen, Sellers, Seely, and Hall at once 
became great revivalists. The numbers of the 

church in L were swelled by accessions from 

the world, and of the most pious and exemplary of 
other denominations. These ministers, too, were 
soon joined by numbers of the best ministers in all 
the sects. God was with them. He confirmed their 
doctrine by the unrivaled success with which ha 
blessed their labors. 

Three years have rolled by. A plain and com- 
modious house of worship, which generally, on the 
Sabbath, seats between twelve hundred and fifteen 
hundred hearers, now pleads to the remembrance of 
that convention, whose memorable proceedings have 
been imperfectly sketched in these hurried notes. 
Mr. Sellers is the earnest man of God who occupies 



282 the infidel's confession, 

it. How reformed in the spirit and matter of his 
preaching ! # We have seen him as the advocate of 
a system which he durst not commend more warmly 
than to contend that it would do. Cramped in all 
his efforts to promote its prosperity by the fear that 
some one would suspect or accuse him of believing 
it right, his labors were soulless and pointless. Is 
it injustice to say he did not think his former church 
right even while its minister? 'No; he even then 
admitted it was not the church. While there may 
be ten thousand wrongs, there is only one right. 
He could not claim that his church, among all the 
hundreds that are self-styled churches, was the only 
one that was right. No ; he spurned indignantly 
the suspicion that he thought so. His masterly 
talents were half exhausted in the effort to conceal 
its deformities. The midnight lamp, in the sun's 
absence, might as soon flood the earth with light, 
as his cold and studied compositions, called sermons, 
reform the world. He came forth from his study, 
Sabbath after Sabbath, like a giant to meet an army, 
but it was an army of critics. The chilling con- 
sciousness that his cause was partly right and partly 
wrong, and so unimportant that he did not specially 
care which, led its advocate to forget the awful so- 
lemnity of his mission, and to convert the pulpit 
into an arena to exhibit the prowess of his own 
mind. External attractives were then required to 
call out and entertain the crowd. An intellectual 
production that might create dread in a college of 
aspirants for the meed of greatness, was the subject 
of eulogy by the dispersing congregation. The min- 
ister's visits were rather for the purpose of hearing 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 283 

how his productions were received, than of finding 
out those whose minds had been awakened and were 
inquiring for the way of life. 

To this inefficiency in Mr. Sellers, more than one 
thing conspired. His church was a candidate for 
popular favor, with no higher claim to superiority 
over its competitors, than its adaptation to a more 
refined taste. This point being contested, its proofs 
were the intelligence of its ministers, the splendor 
of its edifices for public worship, the refinement and 
style of its members, and the decency and order of 
its worship and ordinances. We are compelled to 
be careful of those features, whether of mind, body, 
or profession, in which are based our claims for dis- 
tinction. With such objects prominent, the minis- 
ter's heart, with those of his church, freezes. Like 
mountains of ice between the sun and the vale, 
they tower up between the soul and the sun of right- 
eousness. 

In the prosecution of these claims, no dread of 
fierce antagonism, or personal hatred and persecu- 
tion, rouses the soul to a deep sense of dependence 
on G-od. It is when we claim to be right, and fear- 
lessly admit the implied consequent, that all oppo- 
sition is wrong and infinitely dangerous, that we 
wake the lion of persecution, and exposing ourselves 
to the severe animadversions of our enemies, we are 
driven to an inexpressible sense of our weakness 
and need of Bible knowledge, burning piety, and 
divine aid. How did it nerve the soul of Luther ! 
The darkness of spiritual death had pillared itself 
far and wide upon temples and cathedrals conse- 
crated to a corrupted and secularized church, 



284 the infidel's confession, 

guarded and courted by a more corrupt horde of 
priests, and had pavilioned itself beneath the im- 
penetrable vail of depravity, universally blinding 
the souls of men to the knowledge of God, and to 
their own immortal interests. He, as a bright comet 
amid the gloom of a starless night, feeling that un- 
less this cloud was soon dispelled, the world was 
lost, forever lost, and that he only was commissioned 
in the strength of God to do it, sprang into the 
midst of this darkness, rendered hoary by ages, and 
honorable by the servile adorations of the millions 
its own gloom had blinded, and grasping, as with a 
giant's arm, its massive pillars, he led bewildered 
and duped thousands to the knowledge of Jesus, 
and emancipated the Bible, long imprisoned from 
benighted mortals by popes and prelates. He stands 
before the Diet of Worms, like Jesus before the bar 
of Pilate. The fear of death can not seal those lips 
inspired with the truth of salvation, nor daunt that 
heart which, he believes, beats and prays alone for 
a lost world. Like Samson beneath the temple of 
the Philistines, he resolves, if fall he must, his fall 
shall,~if possible, make way for the freedom of God's 
imprisoned truth, and for the enlightenment of en- 
slaved and benighted humanity. Thus mighty do 
we become in the consciousness of right and of duty 
to oppose all who obstruct the way of our duty. 
It is now thus with Mr. Sellers. From the birth 

of his cause in L , it had been met by the most 

immeasurable hatred and the most relentless oppo- 
sition and persecution. Despairing of self-support 
and self-sufficiency, he has been driven the nearer 
to Christ. The vine, assailed by frequent and furi- 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 285 

ous storms, takes the stronger hold of the tree on 
which it leans for support. He is now strong in the 
confidence of God, and bold in the consciousness of 
truth. He dares to assail all error and vice, whether 
in human organizations, honored customs, or in indi- 
viduals high or low in the esteem of men. The burn- 
ing ardor of soul in which he declares truth from the 
pulpit or in the private circle, drives it home to the 
heart. The savor of his ministerial influence dis- 
plays itself in the elevated character of his members, 
both in their individual and social capacities. He 
has now lost the fear of offending men. He would 
rather die a martyr for the truth than admit to be 
churches of Christ those sects which wickedly cling 
to tradition, even to the rejection of God's com- 
mands. He faithfully warns them against such sin. 
He does not scruple to call it sin; aye, even high- 
handed sin. 

An old gray-headed man of fourscore years, the 
patriarch of more than thirty descendants, whom 
Providence had blessed in early life, by the honest 
acquisition of an immense fortune, has now lost all 
care but for the perpetuity of his "first love," the 
sect of ejriscopacy. His family had set fashions for 
the community. When all his church, but himself 
and the few, whom a dread of disinheritance and a 
faithful and obsequious regard to his posthumous 
favor, held within the compass of his smiles, had 
joined the union, he and they were still true to their 
sect. Money is nothing when principle is involved. 
He finds a graduated youth whom salary can pay to 
preach to empty benches — one whom listeners could 
not be paid to hear — and engages him to occupy 



286 TIIE infidel's confession, 

twice per month the church of his sect. His grand- 
daughters have many admirers, who go with, or after 
them to their church. From thirty to fifty are found 
in attendance. The young clergyman talks half an 
hour to the little flock, as if he had been told to do 
so, but could not himself discern the need of so do- 
ing. He goes sometimes and hears Mr. Sellers press 
the necessity of repentance, faith, submission to 
God's law and ordinances in all things, while he 
weeps over the sins of the wicked, and of schismat- 
ics. He goes away offended, and he and his breth- 
ren say as man} 7 - hard things of Mr. Sellers as they 
possibly can. Gladly would they effect the destruc- 
tion of the cause he pleads, even if they might do it 
in no other way than by crushing the fair standing 
of its advocate. Their efforts to this end are more 
habitual and earnest than their prayers to God for 
the success of his cause and for the display of his 
own glory. This the community have learned, and 
except such as feel a need of the patriarch's smiles, 
frown on such efforts. 

Does the reader inquire what became of Mr. Saw- 
yer, the Methodist minister, who had reasoned so 
ably to convince Mr. Mullens " that sincerity is as 
good as truth? " He had made up his mind to join 
the union, and had commenced telling it as news to 
cheer its friends. He had become foremost in his 
labors to aid Mr. Smeclley in the meeting. But a 
few friends had whispered to him that he would not 
be able to get into the union, and from that time he 
maintained the attitude of an inquirer, seemed to 
have some doubts as to the propriety of joining. He 
sat near Dr. Robinson, and would try to favor both 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 287 

parties. He continued, till the close of the year; to 
rally those of his brethren, who would still come to 
hear him, and then left L— — -, followed by very few 
inquiries, or tears. He may have found some other 
place where it would pay to preach Methodism. 

The Methodist Society in L — — had lost the re- 
spectable rank of a religious body. The circuit 
rider, sometimes a good man, but generally such, 
both for piety and talent, as conference could afford 
to spare for a region so little congenial to the growth 
of Methodism, was still instructed to visit that point. 
All who gave evidence of real piety among the 
Methodists, had, as they learned its principles, 
joined the union. The Presbyterian and Reformed 
churches had wholly ceased to regard themselves as 
organized bodies. The union in L , after grant- 
ing over two thousand letters of dismission to mem- 
bers living at a distance, numbered a fraction under 
nine hundred of the white race, and nearly double 
that number of the colored population. The latter 
had bought the Reform meeting-house, and were 
now paying Mr. Seely one thousand dollars per 
year to sustain him as their regular pastor. Both 
the white and the colored churches were doing well. 
They received members nearly every week. 

The union in L paid fifteen hundred dollars 

per year to Judge Rolen to travel and spread the 
principles of the union, but he passed the whole of his 
salary into the hands of the Indian Mission, preferring 
to support himself out of his large estate. Great suc- 
cess crowned his efforts wherever he went. Mr. Hall 
had accompanied him until persuaded by the church 
in the city of H— — to become their pastor. 



288 THE infidel's confession, 

CHAPTER XV.— Prediction. 

The members of the union are free to advocate 
right, and to oppose wrong, wherever found. It 
was about this period that the following letter and 
answer were written : 

"Rev. Alfred Rolen, — Bear Bro.: — Having heard 
with great pleasure of the basis on which you are 
attempting to unite the religious world, and of your 
unparalleled success in that and other efforts to do 
good, I beg to be excused for the freedom of ad- 
dressing you while personally unacquainted with 
you. I am a warm advocate of an object which I 
know you will feel disposed to favor. The plan 
would just fall into the catholicity of your views. 
I am a member of the American Bible Society. We 
are united, you know, in the purpose to publish and 
circulate the Bible among all classes and sects with- 
out note or comment. Having just adopted the 
report of our committee recommending the removal 
of twenty-four thousand errors from King James' 
version of the Bible, and having raised a learned 
committee from the several denominations, and in- 
structed them to collate all the most approved 
English versions, and to make every correction in 
the propriety of which all can agree, it is needless 
to suggest to you, that we shall need an increase of 
funds to carry on the work. From the reputation 
you have for success in rallying the different denom- 
inations of Christians, I am authorized by the Soci- 
ety to offer you fifteen hundred dollars per year to 
take, in connection with your present calling, an 



• OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 289 

agency for onr Society to raise money in the South. 
The removal of the many, many errors in transla- 
tion from the Bible, which impair its beauty and 
obscure its teachings, can not fail, I think, to com- 
mend itself to every catholic mind. If you approve 
the proposition, you will please answer without un- 
necessary delay. Yours ra hope of a more intimate 
acquaintance, J. S. Moore. 

"New York." 

To which the following reply will show the Judge's 
disposition toward an effort to free our version from 
its numerous imperfections : 

" Eev. J. S. Moore, — Dear Bro. : — Your com- 
plimental note was in the office when I returned 
to L , several days ago. I have had its con- 
tents under as serious and prayerful consideration 
as the migratory nature and pressing duties of my 
agency would allow. The enterprise of removing 
twenty -four thousand errors from our translation of 
the Bible, I think, can not fail to enlist the feelings 
of all who value the Bible. I had read the proceed- 
ings of your Society in reference to this point, and 
heartily and gratefully do I accept the compliment 
of your invitation to take the agency, but several 
difficulties, to me insuperable, forbid my acceptance 
of the agency itself. I will give these in detail, lest 
my decline be construed into a want of sympathy 
with the great enterprise itself: 

" 1. The two agencies can not be successfully pro- 
secuted by the same agent, and I could not be will- 
ing to incumber the one I have, even by taking a 
wife. Its importance commends itself to me. and 
13 



290 THE 1XF1DEL*.S coufesbion, 

engrosses all my energies and all my labors. I 
believe it more important, and much more imperi- 
ous in its demand of immediate prosecution, than 
even the object you propose. I could not, therefore, 
think of undertaking any thing else, even if I were 
capable of the duties your agency would impose. 

" 2. I am no scholar, and am, therefore, unwilling 
to provoke the prejudice which would have to be 
met b} r one who challenges, before the public, the 
accuracy of our version. The agent in this case 
should be one who can refer to the originals to 
show the value of his criticisms. This I could not do. 

• { 3. I am wholly skeptical as to the practicability 
of your plan. A chief cause for the divisions among 
Christians is the want of an acknowledged version 
of the Biblo. The translation of a few mooted 
phrases is the great bone of contention. These some 
denominations do, and others do not, want altered. 
You can not make principles bend ; and can not 
work in, and render subservient to the enterprise a 
heterogeneous knot of fiercely antagonizing princi- 
ples. To illustrate the ground of my fears. "While 
every denominational interest and preference must 
be met and subserved by the work, we will suppose 
your translators to come to Ac. xii : 4, where we find 
the word Easter, the name of a heathen deity. I am 
told that this word should be Passover; and yet if it 
were changed, there would be in the Bible no more 
authority for the feast of Easter among the Catho- 
lics and Episcopalians, than there is now for infant 
baptism. You surely do not believe they would 
consent to the change. But for wearying your pa- 
tience with citations and comments, T could show 



OR THE POWER 01? CHRISTIAN UNION. 291 

you many places in which all would not concur in 
the needed change. To be brief; I could not con- 
scientiously ask the people to raise $200,000 or 
$300,000 to alter our version, when our highest hope 
would be to leave it unimproved in almost, if not 
every, essential feature. I see no way to get our 
version faithfully corrected but to put it into the 
hands of a denomination thoroughly scriptural in 
all its features ; or if we select translators from dif- 
ferent sects, to have them most solemnly pledged to 
be faithful to the originals, even though their re- 
spective sects should fall to the ground. In either 
of these ways, provided the translators secured 
should be Christian scholars, I think we might rely 
on their work. I belong to a denomination whose 
members can have, as you may see by examining 
our covenant, no possible motive to wish the Scrip- 
tures to teach, or not to teach, any particular senti- 
ment. All our peculiar views are sanctioned by all 
evangelical denominations, and acknowledged scrip- 
tural. Our main feature is, that all our members 
should study the Bible as much as they can, and 
enjoy their private views of its meaning. They 
will, therefore, feel grateful for all the aid rendered 
by faithful translators. I can see no good likely to 
come of your effort in revision, beyond the elegance 
of expression which your heterogeneous committee 
might concur in the desire to put upon the Bible ; 
and deeming that unworthy the cost of bestowing 
it, I respectfully decline the agency, and predict 
the failure of the enterprise. With all the defer- 
ence due to the eminent learning, exemplary piety, 
matured experience and practical wisdom which 



292 THE INFIDEL S CONFESSION, 

I may almost say it is the peculiar privilege of your 
Society to boast, I think the future will develop the 
accuracy of my prediction, that sometime during the 
execution of your plan, you will discover its difficul- 
ties. Indeed, in the exercise of that charity, which 
rejoiceth not in evil, but in the truth, I apprehend 
that when you may have spent thousands of dollars, 
and still more precious energies, in the enterprise, 
you will be compelled by a retrograde movement to 
lose the whole, and thus forever destroy the confi- 
dence of the public, either in your wisdom or in 
the integrity of your designs. In this way you may 
seriously cripple the powers for good of a Society, 
which, in the absence of a better one, is now infin- 
itely necessary to the cause of God, in printing and 
distributing a version sufficiently accurate to make 
its readers wise unto salvation. Thus much I say 
in justice, rather than in praise, to our common ver- 
sion. Being a close student of it, I acknowledge, 
and have felt its deficiencies. By the aid of scholars, 
I have learned that all the contradictions and inele- 
gancies of the style which mar its influence with 
skeptics, and its attractions for men of cultivated 
taste, vanish immediately when the originals arc 
consulted. In it, I have learned, is the shadowy 
foundation of Universalism, if, indeed, it has not its 
only foundation in the depravity that loves such a 
doctrine. Hence, too, are denied the mightiest sup- 
ports of Arianism and Unitarianism. Against the 
removal of these and such errors of translation, it 
were rebellion against both the Bible and the God 
of the Bible to object. I repeat, therefore, that it is 
not your object, but your plan, of whose propriety I 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 293 

entertain doubts. It shall, however, be my prayer 
that the success of your great undertaking may, 
instead of realizing my prediction, develop its erro- 
neousness. In the warmest sympathy for your ob- 
ject itself, and the most cheerful readiness to aid 
its accomplishment, on some practical plan, when 
devised and explained, 

"I am yours, etc., Alfred Eolen. 

"Baton Rouge, La." 

Four years rolled by after the above was written, 
and we find the Judge still prosecuting the work 
of his religious life. Though past the age of sixty, 
he still bids fair for a long and useful period of toil. 
For two weeks has he been surpassing the expecta- 
tions which his great fame had created in the city 
of C , in the South, in connection with the ap- 
pointment of a visit, and a protracted stay in that 
place. Here had his labors been crowned with un- 
usual success, and his preaching characterized by 
an unction he had never before enj'03-ed. On Sab- 
bath night his sermon to the unconverted was the 
outpouring of a burning soul. Its reasoning and 
its words are all that paper and ink can report. 
That which gives the pulpit its great power can 
never be transferred to the press. It may aid the 
effort to convey a just impression of his sermon, if 
the reader will conceive of him as a man of sixty 
or over, who feels impressed that his career on earth 
is almost ended. He has come to the house of God 
unusually burdened. Never perhaps was a more 
earnest prayer poured out to God than he had just 
offered for tho union and efficiency of his people; 



294 the infidel's confession, 

for the scores then weeping between the porch and 
the altar; for the alarm of the incorrigible, and last, 
and with the most soul-subduing ardor, for himself, 
that he might clear his garments of their blood, and 
win many to the way of life. He might almost be 
characterized as a man of tears ; for his eyes were 
as a full fountain. He rises weeping, and the audi- 
ence weep with him. They believe his zeal unaf- 
fected and felt. 

"My subject," says he, "is l Now is the accepted 
time.'' Dear dying ones, let me beg that you listen 
this evening as to the voice of God. Never before 
felt I so sensibly the awful responsibility of standing 
as a mouthpiece for God. Forget, O forget, that 
an erring mortal brings this evening's message. 
Let its solemn accents come to thy heart as the voice 
of Jesus, and may the slumbering soul, like dead 
Lazarus, hear and obey ! Thou art asleep to a sense 
of thy danger. Business or pleasure has made thee 
forget God. Once thy thoughts of him, and of thy 
state as a sinner, troubled thy soul. But thou art 
now careless. Alarm hath seized thee of late ; but 
relief, perhaps, instead of profit is what a sore con- 
science drives thee to seek in wicked diversions. 
Open thine eyes to the danger of a false peace. 
Awake, and ' prepare to meet thy God!' Oft have 
you before been pressed to this duty. God gives 
you another invitation and opportunity. If you 
now heed his voice the past is forgiven ; if not, the 
delay of this moment sanctions all the rebellion of 
the past, and brings on you the whole curse due to 
a sinful life. Be then entreated to free your mind 
from interruptions, and note well the reasons hero 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 295 

presented to urge your immediate repentance. Be- 
ware that you say not, I am too much engaged now. 
Felix once said, 'Go thy way for this time, when I 
have a convenient season I will call for thee.' As 
his adjournment of the divine call proved final, so 
may yours, if you do not now take the needed time 
and make the needed effort to ponder well the rea- 
sons now to be given. He neglected and was lost. 
He is not said to have spurned or ridiculed the 
Apostle ; he respectfully, perhaps reverently, delayed 
compliance with his solemn message. ' How shall 
we escape if we neglect so great salvation ? ' Thou 
art arrested by a curse; 'he that believeth not is 
condemned already.' 'He that believeth on Jesus 
Christ is born of God/ Thou art a Christian or a 
child of wrath. ' Escape ' is what thou needest. The 
curse holds thee now and indifferency will seal thy 
doom. ' If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, 
he shall be cursed when the Lord comes.' Then 
sinner be in haste. 

" 1. Let the desire of happiness constrain you. By 
delay to repent and believe the Gospel, you, by 
choice, prolong a state of wretchedness which, by 
submission to Christ would immediately be removed. 
A cheerful smile may bid men think you happy ; 
but 'the wicked are like the troubled sea. There is 
no peace to the wicked, saith my God.' Sadness 
rends your bosom, as oft as solitude drives you to 
the conciousness of your state before God. ' I am a 
sinner/ must thou say. By ten thousand crimes, am 
I God's enemy. I have no claim to his indulgence. 
A few years at most and I shall meet him, my 
angry Judge. "What shall T do but perish 'from th*» 



296 the infidel's confession. 

way when his wrath is kindled but a little.' I may 
this hour be justly called to my account, and only 
' a fearful expectation of vengeance and fiery indig- 
nation ' awaits me. One after another dies around 
me ; and some very suddenly and awfully. Though 
spared long, I, like the cursed fig tree, bear no 
fruit to the glory of God. I fear I shall be lost. 
Yes, sinner, conscience thus taunts thee as oft as 
thy reluctant ears will hear her voice of reproach. 
Thy most solid pleasures effervesce into nothing 
under the ills of life. The death-rattle, though in a 
stranger's throat, or the sight of a coffin, or a corpse, 
will scatter them like affrighted birds, and melan- 
choly, like a giant, will seize thee, unless thou art 
hardened indeed. Spells of gloom, inconsolable, 
except in stultifying thy sensibilities by flight to 
dangerous diversions, oft mock thy joys. The whirl- 
wind of passion may drown the voice of conscience 
for a while, but not always; and knowing this, thou 
canst but tremble when thou has done the deed. 

" Compelled to seek all your happiness in objects 
foreign to yourself and the state of your soul before 
God, you can not endure reflection. In retirement, 
where Christians find, their richest joys, you find 
gloom. The diversions in which you take refuge 
from the gloom of reflection, are perishing with 
their using. Once tried, they lose part of their 
charms. The aged have no pleasure in them. With 
death will cease all your communications with these 
resources ; but conscience, which you most of all 
things dread and would destroy, will never die. 
Reflection, memory, and apprehension will forever 
triumph in the dominion of your wretched being. 



OR THE POWER OP CHRISTIAN UNION. 297 

Such wretchedness you now endure with the assur- 
ance of its everlasting increase, unless you become 
a Christian. Then should you have peace. 'Being 
justified by faith, we have peace with God/ ' By 
faith we have access into the grace in which we 
stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.' 
Numbers profess this peace but feel it not. They 
have sought it in vain by penance, or baptism, or 
some other work, and not by faith. Found by 
faith in Christ, it is an ineffable prize. ISTo charms 
can bribe one to renounce it. A struggle is to be 
made ere it is gained. ' Strive (Greek, Agonize,) 
to enter in at the difficult gate/ The deepest agony 
of soul must be felt. But ' blessed are they that 
mourn, for they shall be comforted/ ' "Weeping may 
endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.' 
And then what joy. ' It is unutterable and full of 
glory.' With its deep fountains the stranger inter- 
meddleth not. It is felt, but not conceived nor 
expressed. ' O taste and see that the Lord is good! ' 
'The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him/ 
Bible piety, the only passport to heaven} is indeed a 
priceless jewel. 

" Thousands who labor to maintain the form of 
godliness, never feel its richness and power. To them 
religion is a burden now, and will prove an aggra- 
vation of their final woe. ' The hope of the hypocrite 
shall perish/ But do thou, sinner, seek the power, 
and thou shalt find its joys now, and its rewards in 
eternity. Thy soul shall rest, though storms rage 
around thee. Thou shalt feel what thou canst not 
now, 'that all things work together for good to 
them that love God. to them who are the called 
13* 



298 the infidel's confession, 

according to his purpose;' that though 'clouds 
find darkness are round about him, his throne is 
based in righteousness and judgment/ Thou shalt 
feel thy soul anchored to the throne of God/ He 
will reveal himself to thee as not to the world.' 
'The hidden manna' of a Savior's love shall be the 
joyous food of thy soul ; and in all the ills and sor- 
rows of life, light shall cheer thy heart. A rich 
cluster of sparkling promises shall center themselves 
in a halo of light over thy grave, dispelling thence 
the gathering gloom of death. O let the voice of 
wisdom persuade thee that 'her ways are ways of 
pleasantness; and all her paths peace. But God is 
angry with the wicked every day. Now sinner, to 
live in sin is to choose a prolongation of misery and 
self denial of real happiness. 

" But perhaps you still doubt the verity of the 
argument; 'The wicked roll sin as a sweet morsel 
under the tongue.' For you, whose soul is 'enmity 
against God,' it is hard to believe. Let me ask, 
"Whose testimony, of all your acquaintances, would 
you soonest? credit? Would you not rather trust 
the eminently pious? They tell you with one voice 
how empty are all sinful pleasures, and how unwor- 
thy to be compared with the joys and hopes of the 
Christian. Let them answer in prosperity or adver- 
sity, in health or under the wasting hand of disease, 
in the hope of long life, or amid the mists of the 
yawning tomb, their answer is still the same. As 
they descend to the grave, when most they need 
support, their hopes and joys are the brightest; 
their spirits the most triumphant. It is otherwise 
with the dying wicked. > Thev are driven away in 



OH THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 299 

their wickedness/ Oh, to read the commentary on 
this text, which is sometimes written in the agonized 
features, or uttered in the fierce shrieks of an expir- 
ing lost one ! It has perhaps been the sad lot of 
many here to witness such a warning. Christians 
never curse the folly of their choice when death 
comes. O, sinner ! for your own present peace and 
happiness, if there were no greater reason, turn to 
the Lord ! 

"2. You may die in delay. Ko mercy-seat is acces- 
sible to the departed. As death arrests you, so the 
judgment and eternity will find you. ' There is 
no work, nor device, nor knowledge in the grave 
whither thou gocst.' A sinner dead is a sinner for- 
ever lost. Ko prayers can bring a drop of water to 
cool the rich man's burning tongue. Life is the 
only time to prepare for heaven. Death is the end 
of God's patience with the wicked ; and that event, 
so fraught with awful moment, may be just at hand. 
Its herald sometimes proclaims it near, and gives 
warning to be ready; but often it smites its victim 
unawares. While thou art hearing this appeal, he 
may stand, unsuspected, with his finger upon the 
fatal arrow, and the arrow upon the string, and may 
in one moment seal that ruin thou now deemest so 
remote as not to dread its hazard. 

" ' That, sir, is an old argument/ said a devotee to 
worldliness, some time since, to an earnest friend, 
who pressed him to repent. But less than one 
month proved it, in his case, a very wise argument, 
urged in vain. For he had diod suddenly in all the 
horrors of impenitency. It is with you, too, an old 
argument. "Repeated neglect has perhaps destroyed 



300 the infidel's confession, 

its power to move }'Ou ; yet one hour may show the 
folly of disregarding it. While life is so uncertain, 
how unwise to allow, designedly, so great a risk ! 
You would not willingly leave exposed for a single 
night your purse, where a thief might discover and 
steal it. You would not leave exposed your field 
containing the year's earnings, merely because the 
neighbors' cattle might not come ; nor your store, be- 
cause the thief might not; that they might come would 
induce you to secure your effects with all diligence. 
But the soul, which has no representative of its 
value but in the Kedeemer's sufferings and interces- 
sions, you disregard in the most imminent exposure. 
Suspended over the gulf of fiery billows by the 
meager tenure of an uncertain moment, its danger 
bids you hasten to secure its deliverance. And do 
you ridicule, or even ignore that warning? Once 
lost in hell, a universe of the most precious diamonds 
could not purchase its restoration. 

u And why delay, if you hope ever to repent? 
Life is none too long for the immense work to be done. 
Your passions and carnal appetencies, pampered 
and matured in the indulgence of forbidden pleas- 
ures for years, are to be reduced by self-denial, that 
through all the frailties of your depraved nature, 
may shine forth the image of Jesus. How hard 
would this be now! and yet every day's neglect will 
render it more so. You have indeed no time to 
waste. All is needed to prepare to die. The wan- 
derings of an unsteady soul are to be chastened by 
communion with Grod, and by meditation in his law. 
For all this, time is so short and uncertain, only a 
moment at once being granted to all the millions on 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 301 

earth, as if God would thus impress the infinite 
value of a single moment ; and yet you permit these 
moments to come one after another, as God's warn- 
ings to your soul, and to depart to the bar of judg- 
ment, only as witnesses, freighted with the record 
of your rebellious deeds and neglect of the gospel. 
Be up ! O sleeper ! If ever thou repent, thou art 
now drifting down the stream, whose fearful rapids 
are to be overcome in thy return to God. You are 
indeed to be pitied. Not so much so is the man who 
in his pleasuring craft, has fallen asleep, and is drift- 
ing toward the brink of Niagara's down-rushing 
cataract ; more to be pitied than the huntsman, who 
loiters amid the forests while gathers the hurricane 
that shall sweep them to the ground. The storm 
of wrath gathers. The thunders of the enraged 
Law would alarm thee, but that thou sleepest in the 
dream of safety. Better that the man- slayer linger 
in his flight to the city of refuge, while the avenger 
of blood pursues ! O sinner ! take refuge in Christ ! 
Blinded, thou art sporting on the verge of the awful 
pit. Let the voice of blended vengeance and affec- 
tion, pealing from Sinai and Calvary, bid thee stop ! 
stop! STOP! Bethink you how one presumptuous 
step more may make your retreat forever impos- 
sible, or plunge you at once into ruin. God has 
not covenanted to sustain you in such wicked wan- 
derings. 

" 3. Delay increases your danger. The mind can 
not be twice affected alike by the same event. Nov- 
elty hath its power ; but the slightest familiarity 
destroys it. The gospel is the only power of God 
unto salvation. Thou hast heard that, and it moved 



302 the infidel's confession, 

thee to tears. Had it been of man, it had moved 
thee no more. Oft has it moved thee since ; even 
yet, perhaps it moves thy soul ; but decide thou if it 
moves thee not less and less perceptibly. How un- 
moved thine impulses by the ardor of a weeping 
minister now ! The rich tones of the gospel thou 
nearest as an accustomed cymbal. Thy soul is so 
stupefied, that the accents of a mother's voice, Jong 
hushed in death, though they once trembled with 
emotion while uttering thy name in prayer, have 
now almost perished from thy memory. The heart 
is hardened. The sermons which to many of thine 
associates have proved -; a savor of life/ have to thee 
proved 'a savor of death.' Like Pharaoh, thy very 
opportunities have steeled thy soul. The love of sin 
increases. Though you may not deem it less dan- 
gerous — which however you are sure to do — the 
power of evil association and habit is nevertheless 
stronger now than formerly ; and it grows stronger 
daily. The gust for pleasure, the pride of position 
with wicked associates, and the very remembrance 
of not having been smitten down, all conspire to 
enchain thee in thy spell of apathy. Oh, what agony 
of effort could even now break that spell ! 

"But why waste words to note the little ills which 
endanger your salvation — if it be not blasphemy 
to call any of them k little' — while the soul and cen- 
ter of them all are unnoticed ! The Will, the mon- 
arch of all the intellectual and moral faculties ; which 
smothers the conscience and wars against the judg- 
ment, grows daily more and more perverse. ' I can 
repent whenever I will/ did you say? It is granted ; 
but the will is your absolute master in all responsi- 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 303 

ble decisions and actions, and it is a stranger to fear. 
Your judgment or your conscience may be alarmed; 
but nothing in the universe is, or can be so terrible 
as to alarm the will ; it is moved alone by motives 
of suasion. It is not self-controling. It becomes by 
every day's neglect more rebellious against its right- 
ful masters, the judgment and the conscience, which, 
instead of ruling, are now wickedly subordinated, 
and must so remain till conversion restores each to 
its proper position in the soul. To Titus, Paul has 
explained this in these words : ' Unto the pure all 
things are pure ; but unto them that are denied and 
unbelieving is nothing pure ; but even their mind 
and conscience are defiled/ Wicked monarchs make 
wicked subjects; the perverse will corrupts all the 
other faculties, and in its dominion grows stronger 
and stronger. If, then, with the mighty weight of 
motives involved in all the alarming evils, that now 
beset and warn you, it is impossible for you to will 
repentance, what reason induces the belief that 
future circa instance's can change that will? 

"Every tendency is to the contrary; each volun- 
tary action determines the will more strongly in 
that direction. Action repeated tends to form habit. 
Habits, whether of thought or action, are second na- 
ture, and almost irresistible ; confirmed, they make 
character. All the habits in unregeneracy are sinful, 
just as all the willing subjects of a vicious monarch 
are sinful. How many habits are so confirmed that 
you think not of them ! they have become involun- 
tary. To neglect prayer once alarmed you. Now 
you may never think of it with concern. To swear, 
or to hear it, once shocked you ; among your own 



304 the infidel's confession, 

habits is now perhaps that of profanity. Other 
wicked habits are doubtless forming and growing 
confirmed. "With them is attained an induration of 
character very discouraging to the hope of con- 
version. 

" A sentiment is quite common with the wicked, 
that habitual actions, not proceeding directly from 
an exercise of the will, can not be moral, and con- 
sequently can not be sinful. It is fatally erroneous. 
A habit can not be formed without the consent of 
the will; did one ever form the habit of thrusting 
his hand into the fire, or otherwise severely punish- 
ing himself? We habituate ourselves to what we 
love to do ; and that one is unconscious of a habit 
which violates God's law, only proves his exceeding 
and hardened wickedness in its indulgence. Should 
a son requite all the kind assiduities of a tender 
mother, with abuse by words and blows, would the 
apology, that he so habitually did it as not to think 
of it, palliate the crime ? And yet, dying sinner, with 
such heaven-insulting apathy do you now break the 
Sabbath, swear, lie, intoxicate, and revel in debauch- 
ery, while God, Bible, morals and soul are all forgot- 
ten? Is it so with you now? and do not the fearful 
evils of your state incline you to repent? If not, you 
are very near the point beyond which it is impos- 
sible to be reclaimed. Look well to thy state. Does 
thy soul tremble with dread? There is, then, hope 
of thee, unless thou linger for a moment in indecision, 
or having decided on the duty of repentance, post- 
pone for a better time. Heed ! and improve the 
slightest remaining touches of conscience as thine 
only hope of return to God. Cry mightily and con- 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 305 

stantly unto Him, who alone can change that will. 
Eead thy Bible. Eschew worldly cares and thought- 
less companions. Go alone this night and meditate. 
Thy soul is ruined if thou delay. One moment, and 
the crisis may pass. 

" Beside the growing evils of continued impeni- 
tency, forget not that now is God's time. ' Bemem- 
ber now thy Creator.' 'To-day, if ye will hear his 
voice, harden not your heart.' ' He that being often 
reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be de- 
stroyed, and that without remedy.' How great the 
destruction of which God is the author to avenge 
his abused mercies ! Have all thy reproofs only 
hardened thee ? Then thou shalt ' be suddenly de- 
stroyed/ Some are suddenly smitten down by 
death; others lingering with tedious diseases, think 
only of recovery until they unawares drop off. 
Their destruction is sudden. Disease dethrones the 
reason of many, and they can not think nor rejDent. 
God will execute his threats on those who incur them. 
You can not escape, dear sinner, unless you repent. 
Now is the best time. ' Come, now, and let us rea- 
son together/ saith God. With the first awakening 
is an impulse to aid thy turning. This delay chills, 
and it is hard, indeed, to turn. But the duty is still 
required under the penalty of eternal death. 

" 4. To postpone is cruel to your future self. Do you 
expect to reach old age? You will then need every 
support, and freedom from every care. Wise per- 
sons provide in youth for the comfort of old age ; 
you, if young, reverse this order, and, in the most 
important concern of an immortal being on earth, 
fitudiously lay up trouble lor that needy period. 



306 the infidel's confession, 

You have seen that delay increases the difficulty of 
repentance, and of a holy life. The struggle of com- 
mencing is too hard for the vigor of youth ; yet you 
defer it, with its increasing difficulties, to the feeble- 
ness of old age. You are like the boy who floats in 
his little boat clown a rapid stream all the morning, 
unwilling to stem the current by a little effort, 
though he knows all his energies will be required 
to row back in the evening. How hates he such 
folly, when approaching night spurs his wearied 
strength to pay for his morning's ease ! And how 
will you, in old age, if you should, as you intend, 
turn from your follies to God, hate the cruelty of 
your present course ! Bethink you ; are you really 
incapable of a choice between eternal life and eter- 
nal death? Can the short-lived pleasures of this 
world, with all the misery inseparable, from expo- 
sure to God's wrath, be so sweet as to atone for the 
loss of eternal happiness? "Will their remembrance 
in hell assuage ' the hot displeasure of the Almighty?' 
or the pain of eternal burnings? Oh ! what reasons 
for an immediate choice! and can you not make it? 
Yes ; you do choose ! Much of life you have spent 
in pursuit of your chosen object, eternal misery ! 
All the while have you been urged to reverse that 
choice, but hitherto you were unwilling. 'Except 
you repent you must perish ;' and a bitter element 
of your perdition will be the reflection, ' I chose 
my portion/ Do you now, with aching heart, rue 
your choice, and with full soul ask, l What must I 
do?' Happy art thou, with all thy sense of misery! 
Give God the glory of thy awakening. Betake thee 
to his "Word, to reflection, and to prayer. Haste ! for 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 307 

the danger is not past. Many are powerfully awak- 
ened, and then, returning to their folly, they are 
lost. 

"Do you resolve to go on in your sins? Dread 
you not the final ruin of your soul ? Then, if so 
strong is your confidence in the integrity of your 
purpose to turn in old age, amid all the difficulties 
accumulating to prevent, that you will now persist- 
in sin, you are, indeed, to be pitied ; but waiving 
an argument which you have deemed worthless, 
and admitting it possible, or even certain, that you 
will do as you propose ; another consideration may 
be blessed of God to the repentance of your choice. 

"5. Your influence ruins others. You have mind; 
many are influenced by your position on religious, 
as well as on other subjects. Reflect that you have 
been influenced in your own religious position by 
others. Perhaps you would once have become a 
Christian but for personal influences that restrained 
you. Though pride may forbid you confess it, con- 
science will enforce the argument. Your influence 
also restrains others. You may not seek to deter 
others from becoming Christians ; may often and 
quite puMiclv express your admiration of Chris- 
tianity, and of the character it tends to form; your 
position itself as a neglector, or rejector of religion, 
is the basis of your influence. Of many who respect 
you for your talents, amiability, wealth or relations, 
you share the confidence in a greater or less degree. 
Them you ought to love too well at least to injure 
yourself to ruin them. 

"Are you a mother? What a curse for children 
to be roared by a prayerless mother! They think 



308 the infidel's confession, 

you love them too well not to guard them against 
influences destructive to their souls. Your senti- 
ments and character to a great extent they aspire to 
copy. The preacher or book that, by earnestly 
warning them, seems to censure you, they willingly 
reject. Pious mothers may rear wicked children ; 
but wicked ones are almost sure to do so. Lovely 
babe ! that smiles upon thy mother's lap, or prattles 
around her feet; will the guardian Heaven gave it 
train it for hell ! No influence is more effective than 
a mother's. Yes! ungodly mother! behold thy 
daughter who sits trembling and weeping beside 
thee now. Shall thy cold glance freeze her emo- 
tions, and silence her resolution to forsake vanity 
and sin? Oh ! no ; take her rather by the hand and 
bid her flee to the Savior. , 

"Are you a father? Should old age witness your 
conversion, how will the thought embitter your reli- 
gious life, that some of your offspring died impeni- 
tent while under the wing of your wicked influence! 
Could you ever forgive yourself? What ! escort 
your own children to the brink of woe, and hope 
that after handing them over to devouring flames, 
you can gain the compassion of God, and a mansion 
in glory ! Your resolve, if made, to j>ostpone repen- 
tance till old age, implies no less ; unless you claim 
the power to prevent their death till after your post- 
poned conversion. Think you they would be 60 
careless of their souls, if you were earnestly seeking 
the salvation of your own, and urging them with a 
father's concern to do likewise? In the day of judg- 
ment, they, if lost, will curse the folly and cruelty of 
your present delay ; nay, the very confidence that 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 309 

made them trust your example. O fathers ! fathers! 
to drag to ruin your sons and daughters ! 

"Are you a physician? You oft visit immortals 
upon a bed of death. You acquire an influence 
awfull} 7 fearful. You have opportunities which 
others have not. When the hurry of business, and 
the chase of pleasure are shut out, by the pressure 
of solemn thoughts crowding the mind of your 
patient, he receives you as his dearest earthly 
friend. Do you point him to Jesus? Or by your 
own avowed impenitency bid him continue still in 
sin? 

"Are you a lawyer? Prominence gives your ex- 
ample a fearful influence. Beware that with light- 
ened resiDonsibility, you are not found an aggravated 
defaulter before God. In your profession are many 
bold, scoffing infidels. Their trusting wives, and 
tender offspring are not unfrequently frowned or 
ridiculed into the reluctant neglect of piety. Such 
guilt, though yourself be the perpetrator, is soul- 
murder. I challenge thee before God, to ask them 
if thou hast not restrained them ! Woe to you that 
shut up the kingdom of heaven against others ! It 
were less cruel to stamp a pious mother's life out- 
ben eath one's feet! 

"Are you a politician? Your prominence is pil- 
lared and pavilioned by the most dangerous tempta- 
tions to debauchery. Beware that beholders find 
you a worthy pattern. Labor not less to make your 
calling and election sure for heaven than for earthly 
honors. Instructor ! Man of business ! Daughter 
of rank and fashion ! whoever you are, it is fearful 
to exert influence, unless for good. Your very im- 



310 THE INFIDEL'S COKFESSION. 

penitence is a barrier to the religious life of you* 
dependents and admirers. And your sentiments are 
messengers of moral death. You would be thought 
to have reasons for your conduct. Your excuses, 
being the outpourings of a depraved and infidel 
heart, are corrupting and blasting. ' One sinner 
destroyeth much good.' Dying one, is that sinner 
yourself? O flee to Christ ! 

" 6. God may reject you. This is the most awful 
thought of the awakened soul : ' I have sinned so 
long and with so little remorse, that I scarcely 
deemed it sin ; I have spurned God's terms so often, 
that I fear my day of grace has passed. And are 
these Scriptures to awaken and justify this dread in 
one who would put off repentance? 'Seek ye the 
Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him icliile 
lie is near' ' Behold ! now is the accepted time/ 
'Because I have called, and ye refused; I have 
stretched out my hand, and no man regarded, I also 
will laugh at your calamity, and mock when your 
fear cometh/ 'Kiss the son, lest he be angry and 
ye perish, when his wrath is kindled but a little/ 
Does not the danger here implied alarm you? Pre- 
sumptuous soul! God's mercy alone sustains you; 
and will you not fear when he threatens? He can 
not lie; if you fear not his curse, it will most likely 
befall you. Oh, what presumption in the delay to 
repent! Its logic is: 'Great God! I hate thy com- 
mands, and can not consent to thy service until I 
have first had some pleasure; for I am sure there is 
none in keeping thine exacting precepts. Fill wiih 
oil the lamp of life; when burnt down in the devil's 
service till ready to expire, I solemnly vow to blow 



OR THE POWER OE CHRISTIAN UNION. 311 

its smoke into thy face as an offering to atone for 
the contempt in which I have held and still intend 
to hold thy known will/ What madness, dying 
man ! to ask thus the Divine indulgence that you 
may insult his majesty, and yet hope to repent and 
be forgiven ! 

" Count the probabilities that you will ever become 
a Christian, if you resist the immediate force of this 
appeal. Suj)pose you are twenty years old, and de- 
fer repentance till forty. That is not old age; but 
we will make the calculation on a liberal scale. 
There is but a half a certainty that you will reach 
forty ; for it is believed that fully half who reach 
twenty die before forty. Your deathless soul is, then, 
staked on half a certainty, a mere probability, of its 
eternal happiness. But stop ! If you live thus long, 
is it likely you will incline to seek mercy? Here the 
chances are decidedly against you. Your increasing 
apathy to religion forbids the expectation. Diver- 
gent lines never meet. A planet, thrown from its 
balance in the mysterious domain of gravitation, 
while its restraints on the one side grow constantly 
less, and its attractives, on the other, greater, would 
never regain the equilibrium of its orbit. Almost as 
unlikely is it, sinner, that you, after passing youth 
and middle age in the blaze of gospel day, with your 
heart growing harder all the time, will, in advanced 
life, become a Christian. Of those converted in old 
age a large proportion have had few, or no religious 
advantages in youth. 'The eleventh hour laborers' 
furnish no encouragement. They embraced their first 
offer of wages. JS^ot one promise in God's Word encour- 
ages your expectation. It is wholly presumptuous and 



312 the infidel's confession, 

hazardous. Yourself, I think, will allow that fifty 
adverse chances, in this case, are against one that is 
favorable. Thus far, then, we have one-half multi- 
plied by one-fiftieth of a certainty — equal to the one 
hundredth part of a certainty — not that you will be- 
come a Christian, but that if you reach forty y y on will in- 
cline to become one. Oh, what alarm should your soul 
take ! But these are not all the unfavorable chances. 
Even if you reach forty, and are then inclined to seek 
God, the most awful chances are against you. He 
may not regard your knocks at mercy's door. The 
display of mercy has its bounds. To call on God's 
name only to save us, is to fail of his promise to 
save. Multitudes ignore this awful truth; and to 
many such he will say, ' I never knew you/ Matty 
Scriptures already quoted show clearly that there is 
a point of availability in our moral history, beyond 
which God mocks at our cries for mercy. The 
speaker once visited an aged sinner who, on his bed 
of death, spent nearly an hour in the most earnest 
cries for mercy. He could hear no advice for the 
importunity of his prayers ; but obtaining no an- 
swer, he turned over in sullen despair, and cursing 
his past neglect of religion, ' It is too late note! I'll 
never pray again !' said he, as he raged in the fury of 
wild anguish; and so he died. Oh, sinner! what a 
hell to you will be the disappointment, if, with so 
many chances against that event, you should, in old 
age, call on God out of an anguished soul, and find 
him implacable and inexorable! Many aged ones 
declare they have prayed in vain for the convictions 
and impulses of youth to favor old age with an in- 
clination and opportunity to turn to God. More 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 313 

than one-tenth of a certainty you can not claim, that, 
if you reach forty, and fed inclined to cry for mercy, 
God will accept you. Compounding all the chances, 
there is but the one-thousandth part of a certainty that, if 
you now delay repentance, your immortal soul will ever 
be saved! Deathless spirit ! be alarmed ! Thy soul — 
the price of a Savior's blood, is doomed by one thousand 
chances against one to immortal woe, if thou harden 
thy heart now. Methinks I see your terror-stricken 
spirits descending in wailing lamentations from the 
bar of the Judge to the regions of immortal woe. 
My soul entwines its tendrils around you, and re- 
fuses to let you go. My heart is melted for you. It 
would write its warnings and petitions in its own 
blood, if thus only they might prevail to win you 
betimes. Why will ye die ? Who of you can dwell 
with devouring flames ! My G-od ! my G-od ! do thou 
the sinner turn ! " 

That the sermon was accepted of God was mani- 
fest in the increased number of anxious inquirers 
who thronged the Judge's room, on Monday, for re- 
ligious instruction and prayer. As for the Judge, 
he could not sleep on Sabbath night. The final ban- 
ishment of the wicked seemed to stand before him 
as a present verity. His soul trembled for them, as 
if witnessing the shrieks and groans with which they 
should receive their dread sentence " deiDart," at the 
last day. During the next day, he was all the day 
intensely excited with alternate joy and sympathy. 
The state of his congregation suggested his theme 
for Monday night : " The Inquirer led to Christ." 

For the purpose of benefitting anyone of that character into 
whose hands this little work mav fall, the sermon is inserted. 
14 



314 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

I 

CHAPTER XVI. 
"THE AWAKENED SINNER DIRECTED. AcU xvi: 30, 31 

"'"What must I do to be saved? And they said. Believe on 
the Lord Jusus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.' 

'•Is the alarmed inquirer here this evening? Let 
me address him in the name of the Lord. Discon- 
solate one, is thy fearful soul wrung with sorrow and 
remorse? Does conscience drive thee to despair? 
Does the dread of God's wrath dispel, for a time, all 
thy vain pleasures and hopes, and deprive thee of 
rest? Are thy former ways, while still loved with 
all the ardor of a depraved heart, now feared as fatal 
enemies to thy soul? The reason for such distress 
is far from being imaginary. Thou knowest not yet 
the depth of thy woeful state. The multitude and 
turpitude of thy sins thou suspectest not. And of 
thy pitiable helplessness thou canst by no means 
conceive, till more deeply sensible of thy true con- 
dition. 

" I come not to comfort thee. Comfort can only 
be found in dangerous, ruinous deception ; or in an 
immediate reception of Christ. The consequences of 
comfort, in the former method, would be both to thee 
and to me too awful to endure. For comfort in the 
latter method, thou art not yet prepared. Human com- 
fort to souls in thy condition ends only in the deeper 
woe hereafter. God alone can give substantial peace. 
Poor mourners ! Experience has taught me to pity 
your sad and gloomy misery. Gladly would I soothe 
your sorrow, if I might, with impunity. The ous- 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 315 

torn, indeed, of many who heal slightly, crying 
' Peace/ where there is no peace, seems to require 
that 1 should offer you some comfort; but let me 
rather warn you against the dangers of human com- 
fort, as against slumber in a wilderness infested by 
ravenous beasts. 

"1. Some will pronounce your cases not so bad 
as you suppose ; but be willing to know the worst 
of your state. God's law, infinitely holy, has con- 
demned your every thought, emotion, word and 
deed. "Whoso keepeth the whole law, and yet, in 
one point, offendeth, is guilt}" of all/ 'Cursed is 
every one that continueth not in all things written 
in the Book of the law to do them/ A disobedient 
heart has rendered all your works — even those en- 
joined by His law — odions in his sight. How many 
commands and prohibitions have, from the earliest 
of your intelligence, received only the disregard, 
even the enmity, of your hearts ! What multitudes 
of sins, then, in a single moment, have been charged 
to the account of each one of you ! Every one of 
these sins is necessarily infinite, however different 
in demerit they may appear to men. G-od's law is 
infinite, and whatever violates it is necessarily in- 
finitely wrong. All this multiude of infinite sins, 
you have willingly repeated with every impenitent 
breath. How many, then, in a single minute ! in 
every minute ! Extend the time to an hour, and 
thought is staggered to conceive of the number ! 
Now, to think of days, weeks, months, years, spent 
not only in the indulgence of all these sins, but in 
repeated efforts to justify them ! No, sinner ! Dream 
not of comfort till washed from your crimes! Look 



316 the infidel's confession, 

well to your state lest you embrace the fatal conclu- 
sion — in common with many others, as deeply awak- 
ened as you — that your malady can be remedied by 
a little reformation, a few tears, prayers and duties. 
Probe that wound till its pain drives thee to the 
Physician of souls. 

" 2. Beware of slumber. Many a spell of anguish 
is buried in a night's dreamless repose. Let not 
weariness dispel the consciousness of exposure. Did 
God's blessing on last evening's alarm break thy 
spell of carnal security? Was thy night sleepless 
and full of gloom? Remember that awakening is 
not regeneration. Felix was awakened, and trem- 
bled ; but he adjourned the things which belonged 
to his peace, and so may } r ou. Perhaps you already 
grow stupid. Do you feel less wretched, and at 
times doubt the reasonableness of your fears and 
gloom? Do you pray less frequently and less de- 
voutly? O, beware! For the tempter is present 
with his allurements. Should you come out of this 
struggle, hardness may render you immovable for- 
ever. Hell and destruction are behind thee, if now 
thy face is turned Zionward. Forget not, for a mo- 
ment, that solemn truth. Better dread and shim 
thy danger than be unawares overwhelmed in ruin. 
Flee for thy life ! Let thine own cries keep thee 
from the stupor and indifference from which thou 
art now alarmed. Strive to enter in at the strait 
gate ! 

"3. Thou art in no less danger from a vain confi- 
dence in thine efforts to better thy case before God. 
To lop off the branches, and hide some of the fruits 
of thy sinfulness will be pleasing to men and will 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 317 

be likely to ease the pains of thy conscience ; but 
God sees the inmost heart and is not to be deceived. 
While the root of evil, in a secret love of sin, is in 
thy soul, the curse still hangs upon thee. Learn, 
then, how worthless thy works in God's sight. 
Tears, prayers, self-denials avail nought till Christ 
is accepted. In the reception of him alone may est 
thou find a medium for the acceptance of those 
works. In his sight they are — though clearly re- 
quired by him — only abomination, because offered 
in thine own name; and that while rejecting the 
righteousness and advocacy of Christ. So far from 
being acceptable for your efforts, you are even now, 
in all your distress, only lying before the cross and 
insulting the Savior by the wicked effort to fix up 
your own case, instead of giving it up, in all the 
fulness of a confiding heart, to his advocacy. It is 
wicked and dangerous to desire the substitution of 
your righteousness for his. 

u Does not experience tell thee that none of thy 
prayers have been answered? and dost thou still 
hope they will be ? Thy state is really worse now, 
than it was last night. What the Gospel requires 
thou hast refused — to believe on Christ. With the 
pangs of conscious guilt, thou still triest thine own 
remedies. Not more sinful and dangerous had it 
been, if the poisoned Israelites had so long delayed 
to look to the brazen serpent for their cure. Xo 
matter what their apologies ; their sin was the delay. 
They might have said: 'The wound, does not pain 
me as much as I deserve;' or 'I do not yet feel 
grateful enough for that remedy;' or < it is too sim- 
ple and easy to be trusted. I will first do all T can 



318 the infidel's confession, 

for myself.' Ah! poor soul! Thou hast done too 
much for thyself already. Thou hast digged the pit 
of ruin and plunged thyself into its hopeless depths. 
All thine efforts but sink thee lower and lower. 
While the shadow of hope to benefit th}-self remains, 
thou wilt not call on the name of the Lord. All thy 
prayers will be idle mockery. O, sinner! thou 
knowest not what it is to learn the folly of the best 
wrought robe of self-righteousness, and to lose thy 
last hope of salvation in the deepened gloom of con- 
scious guilt and galling wretchedness — to bewail and 
repent of thy very repentance itself, and to beg for- 
giveness for all thy prayers. But thou must learn 
ere the sweets of divine peace fill thy soul. 

"4. Be warned against dangerous advisers. Thy 
present distress, it may be, calls more loudly for 
relief than for security. Guard well against false 
peace. Some will bid thee take comfort from thy 
sorrows, and tears, and prayers — that God will not 
forget them — that he will not suffer praying souls to 
be lost, but will bless you bj^-and-by, when you have 
prayed more. Such advice, by flattering you with 
the idea that you can pray off your sins, tends only 
to make you feel easy in them. Shun all advice 
that makes you think well of self, or of what you can 
do. Others, who despise the shallow and dangerous 
folly of such instruction, will as surely delude by 
the opposite, and more plausible, extreme: 'Wait 
God's time. You can do nothing. You are dead in 
trespasses and sins. Stand still and see the salva- 
tion of the Lord.' Such advisers, by insisting on the 
worthlessness of your efforts — a truth which can not 
have too much prominence — and encouraging an 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 319 

omission of them, without, at the same time, destroy- 
ing your vain but secret confidence in them, remove 
the sense of obligation to do the requirements of the 
law. Such conviction of obligation is essential to 
repentance. We can not repent of a neglect to do 
what we feel no obligation to do. A nice distinction 
here marks the limits between important truth and 
fatal error. We must feel the full weight of obliga- 
tion to keep the law, and to worship God with pure 
hearts ; else we can not repent of the failure. We 
must be also sensible of having wickedly destroyed 
our ability to do so, or we shall still reject the 
righteousness which Christ offers in the Gospel. 
Those, therefore, who preach the doctrine of do noth- 
ing, because we can not do acceptably, in effect teach 
that to destroy our capability of duty, removes the 
obligation to do it. 

" You have, by your crimes, placed yourselves in 
such a condition that, though you may do the very 
things God requires, in everything but to believe on 
Christ, you do not thereby lessen your guilt, but 
the very efforts to keep his law and to worship him 
are abomination in his sight. But your hearts are 
so proud that you think you can better your case 
by prayer and other works to which you attach the 
idea of merit. That thought is wicked. For God 
says, 'thou hast destroyed thyself, Israel; but in 
me is thy help.' Now, you have, perhaps, always 
had the impression that you could help yourselves. 
Since the indulgence of this sentiment is directly 
opposed to faith in Christ, how can it be removed 
else than by your making the effort? We may toll 
you, and prove it by the Word of God. that both the 



320 the infidel's confession, 

thought and the effort are sinful in his sight; but 
your wicked heart will not believe it until you have 
tried and failed. It is just as wicked to stand still; 
because you are in a wicked state — of enmity against 
God ; and whatever you do, or neglect to do, is 
equally wicked with your state. Had you not then 
better be urged to' make the effort — sinful though it 
be — whose failure alone can drive from your mind 
a sentiment which makes it impossible for you to 
believe on Christ and be saved? 

" Whatever else than Christ you confide in as a 
means of help, if it be a day of fasting and prayer ; 
or a sleepless night's prostration before God ; or a 
journey to Xew Orleans on a path of thorns; I 
would tell you, as I do now with tears, you may lose 
your soul in the effort, but you had better make it 
in haste that its failure may teach you the need of 
Christ, and drive you to comply with the injunction 
of the text. 

<; You are like a man on a little island in the midst 
of a swelling and angry tide. The island is soon to 
be buried beneath the water. A distant ferryman 
offers to aid his escape to the land. ' I have never 
tried/ replies he, 'but I think I can swim; and there 
is time enough yet.' While he believes so, and has 
a natural aversion to receiving aid, he will not accept 
that of the ferryman. Since, to make the cases an- 
alogous, he can not swim one stroke to save his life, 
would not humanity urge him to hasten in the effort, 
that his vain confidence might not induce his refusal 
to accept aid, until too late for him to be saved ? 
The effort, it is confessed, is a vain one ; and yet, if 
not made Speedily, the man must be drowaecT Tim 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 321 

advice to stand still, given to an awakened sinner, 
is the more awfully dangerous, as the soul is of more 
value than the mere prolongation of life. 

** Again, it seems safer to be doing what G-od 
clearly requires, though in a spirit so faulty as to 
lose the benefits of obedience, than with the same 
imperfect disposition of heart, to neglect all he re- 
quires, and even to extenuate our compunctions of 
conscience by the reflection that, since we have 
wickedly destroyed our capacities for acceptable 
obedience, we are excusable for disobedience. 

" But why reason this point ? The Scriptures 
have settled it forever. ' Strive — agonize to enter in 
at the strait gate.' 'Seek ye the Lord while he 
may be found ; call ye upon him while he is near/ 
'Except ye repent ye shall perish.' These passages 
do not imply that we should feel no obligation to do. 

" Others, who deprecate the idea of standing still, 
may deceive quite as fatally by pointing you to the 
ordinances, as means of grace, and of moral cleans- 
ing. One of the most respectable sects in the South, 
requires its preachers to encourage the awakened to 
join the church as a means of spiritual benefit ; and 
even to partake of the Lord's Supper. But ' he 
that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and 
drinketh damnation to himself/ Such advice is. 
therefore, extremely dangerous. 

" Another body of religionists will deny that you 
have a right to pray until you get rid of your sins 
and come into Christ and a state of salvation. They 
teach that God has let down into the gulf of degra- 
dation, into which we have plunged our.selws. a 
ladder, consisting of four rounds, faith, repentance, 
14* 



322 THE INFIDEl/s CONFESSION, 

confession, and baptism ; and that on this we are to 
climb up to the favor and heirship of God. The 
advocates of this theory will meet you, and unless 
you have too deep an insight into your own wretched 
hearts, deceive you by reasonings as follow: 'That 
you are penitents even yourselves can not doubt. 
Your sorrows prove it. That you are believers in 
Christ is equally evident; for how could you repent 
without believing something to make you repent ? 
This is a good start. Two things more must you 
do, confess and be baptized, and you are then in 
Christ, and have what your hearts desire — pardon 
and salvation/ This is very pleasing to the flesh. It 
flatters you that you need but little, and can do all 
you need done. But here is its fatal deception : It 
argues the existence of faith, from the very thing 
which proves its non-existence, viz. : your sorrows. 
'By faith we have access into the grace wherein we 
stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God! As this 
proves the faith not to be Gospel faith, it invalidates 
also the repentance, makes the confession a false- 
hood, and the baptism a solemn farce. The original 
of my text says, ' Believe into the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and thou shalt be saved.' If, then, any one calls that 
faith in Christ which leaves the soul still out of 
Christ, and requires baptism to bring him in, it is 
evidently not the faith of my text, and has not the 
promise of salvation. 

" Peter says baptism ' is not the putting away of 
the filth of the flesh.' « The filth of the flesh ? means 
every species of sin. 'Now the works of the flesh 
are manifest, which are these, adultery, fornication, 
uncleannesp. lasciviousness. idolatry, witchcraft. 



Oil THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 323 

hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, 
heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, 
and such like : of the which I tell you before, as I 
have also told you in time past, that they which do 
such things shall not inherit the kingdom of G-od/ 
Gal. v: 19, 20, 21. This list comprehends all sin; 
and Peter denies that baptism puts it away. To 
adopt the advice of this sect, is to believe in baptism 
instead of Christ. 

"You may be assailed by the temptation, that 
morality is sufficient, and may content yourselves 
with improved outward deportment. Saul was, 'as 
touching the law, blameless ;' yet when he under- 
stood the purity and depth of that law, as expounded 
by that Spirit, who ' opened his eyes to behold its 
wonderful import,' he exalts the grace of God, as. in 
him, displayed to tho chief of sinners. He, who 
trusts in mortality, does not believe in Christ. ' For 
Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to 
every one that believeth.' ' Our righteousnesses are 
all as filthy rags.' 

" After these cautions against trusting in any thing 
else than in Christ, let us inquire more particularly 
into the import of the text. The inquirer was cer- 
tainly a penitent. He had treated the Apostles most 
vindictively in 'thrusting them into the inner pri- 
son,' and then ' making their feet fast in the stocks/ 
How changed now ! ' He brings them out ' of the 
inner prison — falls prostrate with trembling before 
them, and utters the question of the text. Tho 
Apostles considered his repentance genuine. They 
would else have reproved his hypocrisy. But mark 
well ; he was not a believer in Christ. Had he been, 



324 the infidel's confession, 

they would have known it, and given the instruction 
he needed. Hence we infer the priority of repen- 
tance to faith in Christ. These gracious exercises, 
in order of time, are not distinguishable, being both 
fruits and evidences of regeneration ; but logically 
contemplated, 'repentance toward God' must pre- 
cede 'faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.' Agree- 
ably to this order are constructed all the passages 
which mention both. ' Eepent and believe the Gos- 
pel.' ' Ye repented not that ye might believe.' The 
Penticostians were commanded to repent; afterward 
* they gladly received the Word/ which means, they 
believed the Gospel. 

" Most of you, my hearers, and indeed, most men 
in all Christendom, think themselves believers of the 
Gospel. This gives rise to a question of fact which 
the Bible alone can decide : Are they what they 
profess to be? The universal testimony of inspira- 
tion is that ' faith overcomes the world ' — ' purities 
the heart ' — that believers ' shall not come into con- 
demnation ' — are 'new creatures,' etc. It is better 
for us to think you err in the character which your 
partiality leads you to claim for yourselves than 
that the Scriptures err in their description of that 
character. If believers in Christ, you will yield 
fruits which grow not on the depraved trunk of 
human nature. ' Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and thou shalt be saved.' If you are, as ye think, 
true believers, this promise in all its fullness is yours. 
And yet, such a hope is far from most of you, except 
as you expect to repent hereafter and believe. 

" Like most, if not all, the awakened, the inquirer 
of the text thinks he can do something to save him 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 325 

self. ' What must I do to be saved f ' But < it is the 
work of G-od to believe on his Son.' < We believe 
according to his mighty power, which he wrought 
in Christ when he raised him from the dead.' Faith 
in reference to man is not a work but only a me- 
dium of appropriation. By it we receive the impress 
and righteousness of Christ, as the eye receives the 
image of an object. Paul denies that we are justi- 
fied by works ; but affirms that we are justified by- 
faith. In the nature of faith consists one of the 
mysteries of God's righteousness. The Jews ' being 
ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to 
establish their own righteousness, have not submit- 
ted themselves unto the righteousness of Gi-od.' 'The 
natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of 
God : they are spiritually discerned/ By the con- 
verted the mystery is easily comprehended. With- 
out heavenly generation, Nicodemus, even with the 
Divine Teacher, could not understand it. The in- 
quirer's purpose of doing was faulty — 'to be saved.' 
Many take the Christian name and deny themselves, 
do sacrifice, pray, read their Bibles, attend church, 
etc., etc., in order to shun hell, and gain a seat at 
God's right hand. A society founded on this belief 
will not be wanting in external evidences of pros- 
perity. They can raise money, build fine temples 
of worship and of learning, and sustain their mis- 
sions and ministers far more liberally than do those 
who have experimental appreciation of those Scrip- 
tures which teach that our works, in no way, con- 
tribute to the salvation of our souls, but only prove 
that we are in a gracious state. The one of these 
theories arouses all the energies of depraved man, 



326 the infidel's confession, 

pride, self-interest, the desire and expectation of the 
highest good, in the effort to merit salvation ; the 
other paralyzes all these energies with the conscious 
worthlessness of all that we can do to promote our 
own salvation, and leaves us no motive but the de- 
sire to glorify Him that saves us without merit in 
ourselves. Against this desire antagonize all the 
energies of unsanctified nature. The regenerate are 
at first only babes in Christ. In what this purpose 
of love inspires them to do for the cause of God, 
they are opposed by the mature impulses of the 
flesh. It may hence be true that a body, fatally 
heterodox, may evince, in ostentatious labors for 
their cause, more zeal than one which is pure in 
faith ; but the latter will always abound in a class 
of services, unknown to the former, but far richer 
in God's esteem — the devotion of the heart in secret 
communion, meditation, self-examination. "What 
body ever more fully ignored the soul of piety than 
Eomanism? and yet none ever equaled its spirit of 
ostentatious sacrifice and devotion. None could raise 
so much money to propagate its principles. An 
apathy to the overt interests of Zion, it is true, 
proves its subject fatally heterodox and unregener- 
ate; but the converse is not equally true. We may, 
without love, 'give our bodies to be burned/ and 'all 
our goods to feed the poor.' 

" What influence is exerted in regeneration, if 
any, by efforts to expound the matter? To the cu- 
rious this is a natural question. We are 'begotten 
through the Word of truth which liveth and abid- 
eth in us.' Here the Scriptures leave the mystery, 
and here let us leave it. If regeneration is 'through 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 327 

the Word of truth/ though we may not be able to 
tell how, should we not simplify and illustrate it in 
the best manner we can? God is more likely to 
honor with success faithful ministers than superficial 
and unfaithful ones. 

" Let us, then, attempt to simplify the duty, here 
enforced by the promise of salvation. To the be- 
liever, it is the simplest of all exercises. Those to 
whom its exercise is still a mystery, are unbelievers. 
If the deceived are here, may the effort develop to 
them a sense of their condition ! May it also con- 
firm the feeble hopes of any who fear to claim the 
consolations which, by God's grace, belong to them ! 
The unconverted are not sensible of all the hindran- 
ces to belief in Christ. May they be rendered ap- 
parent ! Believers can not only appreciate them, 
but remember when and how they gave way. 

"Has each one of my dear congregation felt that 
illumination which is the opposite of spiritual blind- 
ness? If so, you know it. You may, indeed, have 
seasons of gloom at times, which cause you to doubt 
the divinity of the change; but still you know you 
have felt the change itself. Think you that the 
blind, when suddenly introduced by the creation of 
vision into a world of light and beauty never before 
realized by him, would not be conscious of the 
change? or that the dead, raised suddenly to life — 
or the deaf, ushered suddenly from a world of dead 
silence into a concert of music, rich as that whoso 
strains have just now raised our souls, as it were, to 
the third heaven ; think you that the subjects of 
such changes could be insensible of them? Neither 
can the subjects of faith forget the ecstatic influence 



328 the infidel's confession, 

of its first exercise upon their souls. Many who 
profess faith, will deny such influences ; but the 
denial only proves that they have not experienced 
the exercise of faith itself. Your preacher might, 
on the same principle, den}' that any ever felt tooth- 
ache. He, never having experienced it, can not ap- 
preciate the apparent exaggerations of its misery 
often given by its experienced victims. 

" Ere the soul reposes in Christ, it passes a strug- 
gle awful as death itself. It never after thinks 
Paul's speech too strong, when he says, ' We have 
died to sin/ Trace the soul through this struggle. 
Every conceivable effort has been made to soothe a 
burning conscience. With each effort and failure, 
the hope of success has grown fainter and fainter, 
until it has expired in cheerless gloom. The soul, 
falling on the untried mercy of God, its last, because 
its only, resort, is surprised by a dazzling flash of 
his glory — is filled with joy unutterable. 

" In this struggle it gains a knowledge of itself. 
Till now, it feek not its own depravity — doubts the 
accuracy of its image as mirrored from the Bible ; 
but now it perceives that its baseness can not be 
pictured in mortal language. It learns, too, its 
hatred of God. It had before denied, and even dis- 
believed, the charge of its own enmity ; but now. as 
its own best wrought mantle of righteousness, loved 
for the sake of its idolized author, is spurned by the 
Holy God, as a filthy thing, and the soul itself, 
driven by the unappeased curse of the law from the 
pride of its own sufficiency into utter despair of aid 
from self or man, the fury and malice of the heart 
disclose themselves in wicked suspicions that God is 



OR THE POWER OE CHRISTIAN' UNION. 329 

cruel and unjust. The converted have no doubts 
about their having hated God by nature. Nor ends 
this hate till God's Spirit convinces of righteousness — 
that God, the law, the doom^are all just. He is 
now reconciled to the sentence of God, and in the 
consciousness of his guilt, is ready to sign his own 
death-warrant, and thus vindicate the Almighty 
from the aspersions with which his own wicked 
heart had often sought to brand him. 

"His weakness, too, he now realizes for the first 
time. He had thought it easy to turn from sin — to 
free the conscience from its pangs — the character 
from its stains, and the mind from the annoying in- 
fluence of its habits ; but alas ! he finds them all to 
be chains of Herculean power. He yields his plas- 
tic soul to the molding touch of the Divine hand. 

" ' With the heart man believeth unto righteous- 
ness.' That heart, 'filled with all unrighteousness 
and sin,' must be vacated ere it can receive the Lord 
Jesus. Its love of sin must be blasted. O, how 
strong this is ! As pursued by the fiery law, he 
seeks the favor of God, his inmost soul still reserves 
its recourse on the world and its pleasures, unwill- 
ing to renounce them till God's favor is realized, 
and found sufficient to compensate for the sacrifice. 
Of this reserve its own subject is generally uncon- 
scious till it is surrendered ; but the Searcher of 
hearts reveals no gleam of his mercy until it is 
utterly renounced. 

" To illustrate the soul's reluctance to resign its 
sinful pleasures: There is a man pursued by the 
avenger of blood. In his flight, ho enters a dark 
hall, with no visible outlel bu1 the fifoor through 



830 the infidel's confession, 

which he entered. He observes that this door has 
a massive spring-lock, and when shut can be opened 
only from without. While retreat is impossible, the 
avenger permits him to pause here, he knows not 
how long. If he closes the door, life's pleasures are 
all from him entombed forever. For his little space 
of time his mind is imprisoned in the deepest 
gloom, dead to the past, and without hope for the 
future. What is he to do? A voice, which he scarce 
dares to confide is friendly, bids him close that door 
to be opened no more forever ; that till he does so, 
no way of escape can be revealed. In trembling 
dread, he stands within. With one hand upon the 
knob, he notes the avenger's near and rapid ap- 
proach. He tries the door till but a ray of light 
relieves the gloom of his dungeon. !NTo ray from 
another direction is seen to enter. What suspense ! 
An age of misery pressed into a single moment! In 
the deepest despair he exclaims, ' Must I risk all for 
the mere chance of an escape I can not see to be pos- 
sible?' 'Close that door and all is well,' whispers 
the voice in more friendly accents. Nerved by the 
energy of despair, his voice cries out, <I can only 
perish ! ' and his hand closes the door. Thus the 
sinner relaxes his hold on the world, when Mercy's 
door, ' on golden hinges turning,' reveals to his rav- 
ished vision the smiling presence of his Deliverer. 
God never blesses the soul still in league with sin. 
The last idol must be dethroned ere he fills the heart 
with his love. Others and even ourselves Ave may 
deceive by the idea that we have, in our hearts, 
renounced sin and its pleasures ; but God reads ac- 
tions and words in their deep purposes. Till the 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 331 

surrender is without reserve, he imparts no peace. 
In the deep councils of the soul, injuries must be 
forgiven ; grudges buried ; wrongs repaired ; all sin 
divorced; all duties undertaken. In this is felt one 
part of the agony with which we enter life ; but this 
is not all. ~No ! the deep throes of soul are yet un- 
described. Stripped of self, of his apologies for sin, 
his robe of righteousness consumed to the last shred 
by the names of God's law, loathing himself as an 
abominable piece of rottenness, the disconsolate one 
sees, for the first time, the immaculate purity and 
awful majesty of God's character, as revealed in his 
law; that the heavens are impure in his sight, and 
his angels he charges with folly; that he beholds 
sin with not the least allowance. Thus naked, and 
covered with the shame of confusion and disgrace, 
he must enter His audience chamber and plead 
guilty, before pardon can be extended.. Ah! how 
sinks the soul ! I feel the anguish over again in 
every effort to realize or portray it. Had you felt 
it, you would not wonder that utterance is choked 
with emotion and tears now. To believe in Christ 
alone can embolden the soul to lift its petitions to 
God. You may have said prayers a thousand times, 
but never before with a proper sense of your own 
character, approached God in the terrible majesty 
of his. 

" 0, my hearers ! Have you believed on Christ ? 
Methinks I hear in the sobs and sighs of more than 
four scores now within these walls, that you fear to 
venture on him. Well, if your sins have so hardened 
you that neither a sense of your need, nor the invi- 
tations and promises of the Gospel can constrain 



332 the infidel's confession, 

you, then you must indeed perish. But the sin and 
the censure are yours, not God's. 

"But why need you fear? Beneath that long 
catalogue of daring crimes you now see appended to 
your name and interwoven with your ruined charac- 
ter, you may write : l The blood of Jesus Christ his Son 
cleanseth from all sin? and with this promise in your 
heart: ' Him that cometh unto me I will in nowise cast 
out,' you may, though the chief of sinners, pick uj) 
courage and venture to believe on him. 

" ' But my sins are so great/ says one, now in the 
very agonies of despair, ' I have sinned against so 
much light and so many opportunities to do better, 
I fear my day of grace is past/ Eemember < Christ 
came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repen- 
tance.' Are you lost? 'He came to seek and to 
save the lost/ 'Though your sins be as scarlet, they 
shall be as wool ; though red like crimson, they shall 
be whiter than snow.' While ignorant of your sins, 
you thought it a light matter to approach God ; but 
now you may well fear the result, unless you go in 
Christ's name. While he lives and intercedes you 
need not fear. 

" But you still cling to something. I know not 
what ; perhaps you are also unconscious. Wretched 
trust ! It will prove your ruin, unless speedily 
abandoned. Do you trust to your prayers? Have 
they not deceived you long enough to break that 
confidence? Not one of them can be accepted till 
you believe on Christ. A moment's delay may ruin 
your soul. 'Now is the acceptable time.' 'To-day 
is the day of salvation/ 'Acquaint now thyself with 
him and be at peace.' He can not reject one who 



OR THE POWER OP CHRISTIAN UNION. 333 

comes with all his heart, Think how he died for 
rebel sinners ; and will he cast off a penitent ? !No 1 
He bids you come and welcome. 

'To-day the Savior calls— 
Ye wand'rers come! 
G, ye benighted souls, 
"Why longer roam ? ' 

" From the command of the text, turn now to its 
encouragement : ' Thou shalt be saved.' Though the 
spirit of faith and obedience asks not the reasons, 
but obeys from love ; yet our indulgent God affixes 
to many of his commands important promises. 
'Ask; ye shall receive. Seek; ye shall find/ It is 
so in this instance. 

"'Thou shalt be saved;' then the inquirer was 
still lost. The believer in Christ is saved ; no other 
character is. Some contend that the salvation pro- 
mised was from the vengeance of the rulers, who 
would be incensed, when they learned that the prison 
had been opened. But instead, it would have pro- 
voked their vengeance. The salvation promised is : 

" 1. From the galling load of guilt now felt, to a 
'peace which passeth all understanding; 7 a 'joy 
unutterable and full of the Holy Spirit/ 'A good 
hope through grace/ 

"2. From the dominion of sin through remaining 
life, to a holy walk with Grod. ' To maintain good 
works/ 'which God hath ordained that we should 
walk in them;' because 'sin shall not have dominion 
over us/ 

"3. From final perdition to the saints' inheritance 
in everlasting life. To elaborate these points might 



334 the mswm/s CONFESSION, 

be agreeable to all, and might promote the congru- 
ity of the sermon ; but it is deemed more important 
for you, my dying hearers, that this promise be 
vindicated from a suspicion raised and advocated 
through the press and from the pulpit, that it may, 
and often does, fail and disappoint even those who 
embrace it. Such advocates, in effect, make the text 
read : ' Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou 
may est perhaps be saved/ But, poor mourning in- 
quirer, God be thanked that it reads not so. If it 
did, we should have no encouragement for you. 
The dreadful adventure of your souls into the pre- 
sence of God could be supported by no certain pro- 
mise of his favor. The sweetness of our Gospel 
would be all changed to bitter by such revision of 
the text. 

" 'Thou shalt be saved/ This promise depends not 
upon the contingencies of stability and perseverance 
in an unsanctified nature. God sanctifies ajid holds 
with an almighty hand all that he calls — all that are 
regenerated — all that believe. ' Ye are dead/ says 
an apostle, 'and your life is hid with Christ in God.' 
1 Ye are kept by the power of God through faith 
unto salvation.' Though it is 'through faith,' it is 
' by the power of God/ Ye need not suspect that 
your faith will fail, and thus sever the cord that 
binds you to Christ. That power, which breaks the 
dominion of sin — brings the rebel to Christ — turns 
the hate to love, and the love to hate — is also able 
to seal the soul unto the day of redemption. You 
need entertain no fears that Satan will wrest you 
from God's hand — deprive you of that heavenly gen- 
eration which faith in Christ presupposes — blot the 



OR THE POWER OP CHRISTIAN UNION. 335 

image of your Divine Father from your soul — 
metamorphose you a second time into a child of 
the devil, and in spite of the Almighty's efforts to 
prevent, drag you down to hell. I declare I doubt 
whether the fiend of darkness can breathe such a 
sentiment into a gracious soul. It so manifestly 
dishonors God and degrades him even below the 
devil, that I awfully doubt whether its subject is a 
friend of God. Preach it who will ; it tends to quiet 
every struggle in the inquirer, arr) so soon as he 
learns his own weakness, to settle him c^own in 
infidelity. 

" The Bible denies the sentiment. ~No one ever 
became a Christian, and then fell from God's grace 
and was lost. For eighteen centuries has Satan 
been trying thus to weaken Christ's kingdom, by 
the abduction of its subjects. Could he now, or ever, 
succeed, all hell would hold a jubilee — and having 
learned the art, all the armies of heaven could not 
prevent his success in a single case afterward. But 
that art he never can learn. 'Whosoever believeth 
that Jesus is the Christ, shall not come into condemna- 
tion.' 'Whosoever believeth on the Son hath ever- 
lasting life.' Without this truth, the GosjDel would 
be no Gospel. What ! call it good news that after 
the awful struggles realized in ever} 7 conversion, the 
convert may immediately, or ever, be cheated by 
Satan, out of the eternal life the Bible declares every 
believer to possess? Is it common for the heirs of 
grace to fall from their heavenly sonship, and lose 
their inheritance? If so, the angels must know it; 
why then do they rejoice in the proof of regenera- 
tion, which the repentance of a sinner gives? Why 



336 the infidel's confession, 

do they not withhold their rejoicings till they see 
whether or not, God finally succeeds in his purpose 
to deliver him from the devil. I should think the 
angels would be ashamed to rejoice in his salvation 
too soon, and then, after proclaiming, in glad an- 
thems, the triumph of their King, to have to fold 
their wings and weep over his damnation. 

"Would Christ, who is enthroned at God's right 
hand, to display and prove to the universe of angels, 
principalities and powers, the truth, that his glorious 
plan of salvation blasts and cures forever, in every 
one he pardons and justifies, the disposition to sin, 
and makes him a loyal subject of his reign, for time 
and eternity, be so often, or even once, deceived in 
those he marks for his own, whose names he writes 
in the Lamb's book of life, and for whose persever- 
ance he binds himself as surety? Having engaged 
himself as both the surety and conductor of his elect, 
does he fail to bear them through because he' finds 
the wilderness of life more perilous than he ex- 
pected — and infested with dangers he is not pre- 
pared, or able to meet and overcome? No! my 
hearers ! One single failure would fill the heavenly 
ranks with distrust and disaffection. The angels — 
those unfallen ones that bathe in the effulgence of 
the ub vailed Deity, and delight in the execution of 
his will — that bend their minds to discover the mys- 
teries of a redemption which magnifies the Divine 
law even in rescuing from its penalty the objects 
of its righteous curse — that wonder most how it will 
accomplish its promise to hold fast all its recipients, 
nor lose one in the angry commotions of life ; — yes, 
the angels, if one ransomed soul should perish, 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 337 

would spurn the whole scheme of redemption as a 
solemn farce — would deny the veracity and omnipo- 
tency of Jehovah — would spurn his claimed right to 
rule in the armies of heaven, and among the children 
of men ; and would each, in the fierce contest for the 
dominion of all others, and even of that God him- 
self whom they had seen foiled by the enchained 
victims of his own curse, and that in the effort to 
display the glory of his power, in the work of salva- 
tion, aid in destroying the harmony of the universe, 
and end the whole scheme of providence and re- 
demption in anarchy and chaotic ruin. Such con- 
sequences would inevitably follow the apostacy, 
whether accidental or voluntary, of a single be- 
liever. In Adam, as the representative of our race, 
we all fell voluntarily; if in Christ, we can fall in 
the same way/ Paul is mistaken, when he declares 
believers to be { conquerors and more than conquer- 
ors through him that loved us.' We should not 
even be made conquerors ; for we should still be at 
the mercy of the devil. If even conquerors, we 
overcome him, and recover all that we lost in the 
perilous contest with him. If ' more than conquer- 
ors,' we gain, with our recovered possessions, spoils 
from the enemy. What spoils do we gain in Christ, 
not lost in Adam? To note them may give force to 
the argument. We learn the wiles of our enemy. 
To know that a temptation is such, is a grand means 
of resistance. We learn how to foil him — with the 
Word of God, and prayer, and watchfulness. We 
gain the advocacy of an almighty Mediator, who 
mantles, with his own righteousness, our sins and 
imperfections. 



o38 the infidel's < oNTESSJO.W 

"Again; we learn God's character as it could not 
be revealed to the unfallen. Can they who have no 
ill deserts and misery, comprehend his mercy? or 
they who have not rebelled, understand his forbear- 
ance ? Can they who have never been delinquent 
in obedience and loyalty, fathom the depth of his 
patience ? or they, that have never wallowed in rot- 
tenness and degradation, the mystery of his love? 
Can any thing but the Gospel display the glory of 
his power? or any thing but the plan of redemption 
the depth of his wisdom ? Can aught, but the suf- 
ferings of his Son, exhibit his devotion to justice? 
or aught, but the damnation of the wicked, his 
hatred of sin? From our standpoint alone, as 
fallen beings, raised by Christ, can we gaze upon the 
infinite and infinitely diversified splendors of that 
character which eternity alone can reveal in all its 
fulness to finite minds. 

"The adoration of that character is to be the 
soul's banquet during eternal ages. Each additional 
glimpse of its glory we are enabled to grasp, will be 
an infinite and eternal accession to our happiness. 
It was not all a lie that the deceiver told, when ho 
said, 'Ye shall be like gods, knowing good and 
evil.' 

u In the sufferings that, with sin 'and all our woe,' 
were entailed upon us, we acquire another capacity 
for the enjoyment of eternal happiness, by the con- 
trast between the sorrows and toils of this life, and 
the bliss and repose of that to come. Rest is sweet 
to the laborer; plenty, to him that want has pressed; 
certainty, to him that has been often disappointed ; 
reliable friends, to those often dupod by deceiv. 



OR THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION. 339 

health, to those worn down with infirmities. Such 
antitheses are feeble aids to conceive of the 'far 
more exceeding and eternal weight of glory/ which 
< the light afflictions ' of this life ' work out for them 
that love God.' We shall be ' more than conquerors;' 
and if believers in Christ, we ' shall be saved/ 

" Would Christ else say to the deceived, ' I never 
knew you? ' Would he not rather say, 'I knew you 
once, and have eaten and drunken with you at my 
table ; but you strayed away, and I have forgotten 
you?' That would be more in accordance with the 
truth, if the theory of apostacy be correct : 

" ' The fearful soul that tires arid faints, 
And walks the ways of G-od no more, 
Is hut esteemed almost a saint, 

And makes his own destruction sure.' 

"How important to obey the injunction of the 
text ! How reliable the motive, ' shalt be saved ! ' 
and then how weighty, too, 'shalt be saved! ' Con- 
ception and utterance are staggered by the divine 
import of the word l saved.' It is an endless vol- 
ume, whose frontispiece is the star of Hope, more 
brilliant than the unclouded sun ; its preface, the 
enthroned Savior, with all hell and its emissaries 
trembling in chains at his feet; its introduction, the 
redeemed hosts, robed in garments of purity, pano- 
plied from the armory of heaven, their faces lit by the 
effulgence of Hope ; its first article, these hosts, mar- 
shaled by the Captain of their campaign, treading 
under their feet their harmless foes, themselves 
being pavilioned beneath the rainbow of promise, 
sparkling with a thousand jewels of consolation ; its 



340 THE INFIDEL'S CONFESSION, 

next chapter, the requiem of all the sorrows, doubts, 
toils, anxieties, temptations, errors, and impatience 
of this life; next, the believer's tranquil, or trium- 
phant death; then the retinue of angels, escorting 
him to mansions of the blessed, while peans of glory 
are reverberated from the concave of immensity ; 
further on are described the plains decked and fra- 
grant with every variety of flowers unfading, and 
fruits ambrosial, ever fresh with the vapors from the 
river of life ; on another page, begin the happy salu- 
tations of friends parted long, but now met to part 
no more. Eich volume ! Eternal ages of the most 
delightful study will leave its utmost depths still 
unfathomed. 

" Such treasures, in certain prospect, are very near 
the believer. Life seems long when future, but short 
when past. Over sixty years of my existence have 
sped like a weaver's shuttle. It can 't be long now. 
Xo ! With the hope of heaven in my heart, I feel 
that a few more sorrows and tempests past, I shall 
be there. Sinners ! come and go ! You are dying 
here. Without Christ you have no sweet hope to 
sustain you now, and to scatter the gloom of death. 
O, sinner ! tarry not ! Heaven will repay the agony 
with which it must be gained." 

For more than an hour the immensely crowded 
audience listened as if spell-bound, for the most part 
bathed in tears. The sermon in ink and paper is 
lifeless and dull, compared with its resistless power, 
as it poured from his earnest heart. The solemnity 
of the congregation beggars description and must be 
past to the reader's imagination. Several songs that 
aided the conception of heaven's music, and a few 



On THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN UNION, 341 

earnest prayers, had detained the audience an hour 
longer, when the Judge, overpowered with emotions, 
of which his words can give no conception, arose 
and attempted to speak. With smothered utterance, 
he wrote these farewell words in the hearts of the 
audience as he sent them away: "I feel as I never 
did before. I was thinking of promising to present 
you, on to-morrow night, The Christian in his life 
of sacrifice and duty ; but where is to-morrow f is a 
question of great moment, that seized my mind, as 
it has never done before. Sinner ! repent now ! It 
may be too late to-morrow. l That thou doest, do 
quickly/ Time speeds away/' 

The next morning, at the inquiry meeting, which 
was very full and solemn, the Judge, though very 
feeble from loss of sleep and the incessant labors of 
the meetings and of the private conversations, in 
which the awakened, that thronged his room, kept 
him almost, constantly engaged, was, if possible, even 
more impressive and interesting than the evening 
before. 

The hour for pulpit exercises has arrived. A 
breathless multitude have been waiting in the sanc- 
tuary with the solemnity of death for half an hour. 
A messenger enters, bearing and delivering the sad 
tidings that Judge Eolen is dead. He had died of 
apoplexy. 



1860. 

... * 



CATALOGUE 

OF THE 

SOUTH-WESTEKN 

PUBLISHING HOUSE. 

J. R. GRAVES.— W. P. MARKS S. C. ROGERS.— E. F. P. POCL. 

GRAVES, MARKS & CO., 

NASHVILLE, TENST. 

PERIODICAL PUBUCATIOMS. 

THE TENNESSEE BAPTIST. 

ISSUE 14,000 WEEKLY. 

J. R. GRATES, J. M. PENDLETON, and A. 0. DAYTON, Editors. 

ASSISTED BY AN ABLE CORPS OF CONTRIBUTORS, AMONG WHOM IS G. H. ORCHARD 
OF ENGLAND, THE MOST EMINENT CHURCH HISTORIAN OF THIS AGE. 

This paper contains the largest amount of original matter of any paper in the 
South or South-west. Its character is well known a3 a staunch Baptist 
paper. 

It is either edited with unusual ability, by the editor and his correspondents, 
or the doctrines and practices it advocates are tremendously true, since it hag 
obtained an unparalleled circulation in a short time, which is rapidly in- 
creasing. 

It i3 designed to make the Tennessee Baptist just such a paper 33 the de - 
nomination needs, and the exigencies of the times demand. One paper of uni- 
versal circulation in the South and South-west, for purposes of intercommuni- 
cation, is greatly needed. The Tennessee Baptist is becoming that paper. 

TERMS. — $2.00 per annum, in advance ; $3.00 if payment is delayed 
longer than twelve months. 



PJSR'OPICAL PUBLICATIONS. 



THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST REVIEW. 

(ISSUE 1500.— QUARTERLY, $2 00 PER ANNUM.) 

Editors— J. R. Graves, Nashville. J. M. Pendleton, Union University, 
Tenn. A. C. Dayton, Nashville, Tenn. 

This work entered upon its third volume January 1st, 1857. It ha* 
already secured a high position as a Theological and Literary work ; and 
as a staunch denominational publication, it has no equal. The publishers 
will spare no expense in the typographical department, and confidently 
appeal to the Baptist ministry and membership, South, to extend to it a 
liberal patronage. 

The following notices reflect the opinion of the Baptist press, South : 
Biblical Recorder, N. C. 

The work is decidedly a Baptist work : it sets forth and defends their 
views of scriptural doctrine with a clearness, pungency, and power which 
we have seldom seen ecmalled. We most heartily recommend this Review 
as an able exposition of Baptist orthodoxy. 

Religious Herald, Richmond, Va. 

Southern Baptist Review. — We have received No. 1 of Volume II. of 
of this Review — Graves, Marks & Company, Publishers, Nashville — Elder 
J. R. Graves, J. M. Pendleton, and A. C. Dayton, Editors. It ia 

much more Baptistic than the Christian Review, being devoted more ex- 
clusively to Baptist literature, to the maintenance of our tenets and 
practice, and to refuting the objections of gainsayers. It is an able and 
practical work, is doing good service, and ought to receive a liberal 
patronage. 



THE CHILDREN'S MONTHLY BOOK. 

EDITED BY UNCLE ROBIN AND AUNT ALICE. 

SI 00 PER ANNUM— IN ADVANCE. 
JTJST THE THING FOR YOUR CHILDREN! 

" Tender Grass for little Lambs." 

This is a Southern pubUcation, beautifully illustrated, and edited by 
Uncle Robin and Aunt Alice, with special reference to its moral and intel- 
lectual influence upon the young mind. 

It is pronounced the best publication for children that has yet appeared ir. 
Amerira. Spe?imen copies sent if desired. 

Addresi GRAVES. MARKS & CO., Nashiillc, Teaa. 



CATALOGUE OF BOOKS. 



THEODOSIA ERNEST; 

OK, 

THE HEROINE OF FAITH. 

Volume I. ; pp. 400; $1. 

THEODOSIA ERNEST; 

OR, 

TEN DAYS' TRAVEL IN SEARCH OF THE CHURCH, 

Volume II. ; pp. 485 ; $1. 

It has been said by those veil acquainted with our religious literature, that rw 
two denominational works of equal ability and value have ever been written in 
America. The first volume treats of the Act and Subjects of Baptism, in connec- 
tion with the Conversion and Baptism of Theodosia, — and of Restricted Com- 
munion, — to relieve the doubts of several of her near relatives and friends. The 
second volume treats exclusively of Church Polity; or which, of ail the rival 
sects in Christendom, is the Church of Christ, or like the church at Jerusalem, 
or the churches of Judea, Samaria, and Galatia, or are they all equally scriptural 
churches? The essential characteristics of a scriptural church are first ascer- 
tained by a thorough examination of the Scriptures, and the organization, polity, 
doctrines, and history of all the so-called "evangelical churches," tried by these 
scriptural characteristics. It is a text-book on Church Polity, as volume first is 
upon tho Act, the Subjects of Baptism, and the Communion Question. The logic 
is irresistible, and the style of the works of such inimitable freshness, that whoever 
reads one page will never stop satisfied short of a perusal of the entire series. 
Christians of all names read them with equal avidity. 

If it is said they are novels, that the characters and narrative part are fictitious, 
let it be answered, So are the parables of the Saviour, — of "The Prodigal Son," 
of "The Rich Man and Lazarus," of "The Wicked Husbandmen;" let it be an- 
swered. So is the narrative of Bunyan's immortal work, and of Milton's Paradise 
Lost. The Saviour's hearers understood as well as Bunyan's and Milton's readers 
understand, perfectly well, that these were fictitious narratives, employed to gaiu 
attention to a real truth. Such fiction is no falsehood. It is not intended to deceive, 
and it does not deceive. Its object is accomplished when it has won the attention 
to the truth of which it is made the vehicle. 

These volumes are admirably suited to be the pastor's assistants. With a little 
effort to bring them to the notice or place them within the reach of his people, they 
will be read, and especially by the young, when no other religious book would be 
opened. 

They are beautiful gift-books from parents to children, and from one Christian 
friend to another. Their interest will continue while opposing sects exist. 

14,000 copies of tho first volume were sold in the first six months after its appear- 
ance, and it is believed that the second volume will obtain a still larger circulation 
in tho same period. 

The argument is complete in each volume, upon the subject treated, so that either 
may bo read without the other. 

From the BiUical Recorder, 2V. C. 

Theodosia; or, The Heroine of Faith. 

We have read with no little interest this most excellent book. It possesses All the 
twi'iousnes-* of truth, in tracing step by step the progivns of a sincere inquirer after 
Lurdnty W« can no better express the Mg b estimate we place upon it than b/ 



CATALOGUE OF BOOKS. 



Baying, that if its author should ever write another hook, it will call forth hid highest 

Bkill to make one that shall equal in interest his Theodosia Ernest The spirit which 

Theodosia discovers in her search fox the right way — her struggles in breaking from 
old connections — the giving up the cuurch in which she was early received, in order 
to discharge a duty, will find a response in the bosom of thousands who have been 
■similarly situated. 

From the True Union, Baltimore. 
This work first appeared in the Tennessee Baptist, and now comes out in a hand- 
«ome volume, with a portrait of Theodosia. It is a series of strong and conclusive 
arguments upon the mode and subjects of Baptism and the close communion ques- 
tion, with a very slight veil of fiction to impart additional interest tc the work. 

From trie Texas Baptist. 

As thousands fall in love with the. "Heroine of Faith" upon first sight— a* tho 
publishers find it almost impossible to supply the demand for the book — a* it h:i-< 
produced such an immediate and wide-spread enthusiasm — the philosopher, as well 
as the theologian, 6hould inquire into tho causes of its powerful effects. So fir as 
we have seen, the multitude of critics and reviewers have only admired the foliage, 
flower and fruit, without analyzing the soil, or seed, or root. Why will Theodosia 
accomplish immensely more good than any other book upon the baptismal contro- 
versy? 

We believe it is Macaulay who says that the Pilgrim's Progress will be read by the 
child for tho etriy, by the Christian for the piety, and by the genius for the literary 
merit. This will equally apply to Theodosia. We ventured to prophesy several years 
6ince of a class of teachers who shall arise from tho future, to adapt moral instruc- 
tion to grown people, in the same natural and attractive style in which Sunday-school 
books interest and instruct children; and the author who may, with graphic power, 
represent ethics and theology in persons, acts, and scenes, will be read by excited 
millions, and will bless each delighted reader. To prove this statement we need only 
refer to Bunyan. Thi3 prophecy^ which wo uttered several years since, has its fulfil- 
ment commenced in Theodosia. We hail "The Heroine of Faith" as "the morning 
star" of that brighter day, when moral truth shall bo addressed to the aptitudes and 
capacities of the mind in histories, memoirs, biographies — in parables, narratives, 
illustrations — in books adapting " moral instruction to grown psople in the same 
natural and instructive stylo in which Sunday-school books interest and instruct 
children." 

From the Commission, Richmond, Ya. 

[This notice was written by A. M. Poindcxter, Editor.] 

Theodosia Eknest; or., The Heroine of Faith. Nashville, Tenn.: Graves, Marks 
& Rutland. New York : Sheldon. Blakcman & Co. 

We have received from the author this interesting and valuable work. We read 
portions of it as they were issued in the Tennessee Baptist, and since the publication 
of the book had occasionally looked over some of the chapters. Since receiving the 
copy from the author, we have found time to give it a thorough perusal. We had 
before been pleased with what we had read, but had no just appreciation of the inte- 
rest and value of the work. It attracts the mind with the fascination of a novel, 
but the interest of tho narrative only fixes the attention upon the argument. Tho 
author has evidently no mean capacity as a writer of fiction, but he displays even 
superior ability for close analysis and correct reasoning. It is one of the fairest and 
most conclusive, and certainly the most attractive, arguments we have read upon the 
subjects— Baptism and Communion. It is written in a kind and courteous spirit. 
There is nothing to offend the most refined taste or delicate sensibility. 

Buy the book and read it, and we are sure you will desiro to promote its circulation. 

From the Home and Foreign Journal. 
[Review by Elder James B. Taylor, Richmond, Va.] 
This is one of the books to be unconditionally recommended. 

From the Louisiana Baptist. 

Tt teaches the truth in a forcible and agreeable manner. In point of argume!)< 

few works on baptism excel it, while it has the advantage of being so plain that all 

ran comprehend it. It is, upon the whole, a masterly production — a remarkable 



CATALOGUE OF BOOKS. 



BOOK PUBLICATIONS. 

THE GREAT IRON WHEEL : 



METHODISM SHOWN TO BE REPUBLICANISM BACKWARDS 
AND CHRISTIANITY REVERSED. 
Br J. R. Graves, Editor of Tennessee Baptist. 
576 pages ; price $1. 00, sent by mail ; or $75 by the hundred copies. 
This work in twelve months from its publication reached its twelfth edition 
without the usual appliances of publishers to push their publications. The de- 
mand for it is still unabated, and is exhausting an edition per month. 

It is considered in all respects the most thorough review and expose of gov- 
ernment and peculiar doctrines of Methodist Hierarchy ever published. It is 
not an attack upon individuals, but upon principles — the popish features of 
American Methodism. 

Every American Churchman and Christian ought to read 4 his work 



OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 

New York Recorder and Register, New York. 

This volume is a popular and effective onslaught upon Methodism as taugot 
in the Discipline, and illustrated practically in the South-west. * * 

This book illustrates the whole subject of Methodism as seen from such a po- 
sition and under such lights, and makes an exposure which cannot but be i. il 
with immense damage to a system so utterly without warrant of scripture or 
Antiquity. A system of bishops, like a system of monarchy, must be very old 
\o be respectable. 

The Watchman and Reflector, Boston. 
In contrasting " Cook's Centuries " with the Great Irox Wheel, the eauur 
({ays : " In such a ' formal estimate of Methodism,' it is certainly surprising 
that the author, [Mr. Cook,] who is an able defender of Congregational polity, 
should have passed over as he has the governmental framework of the Metho- 
dist Church— its essential monarchy and consequent incongruity, as flourishing 
in the soil of democratic institutions. This argument, which the author of the 
1 Great Iron Wheel ' has used with decided cogency and effect, is displaced in 
Dr. Cook's book by points such as we have enumerated, but which ail put to- 
gether have, as compared with this one, far less metal and weiglit." 

Report of Committee appointed by the Publication Society of N. Ca. 
With greatly increased confidence in the truthfulness of the positions dis- 
cussed in the Great Iron Wheel, and moro than ever convinced that its circu- 
lation will have a tendency to correct error, and to disseminate sound, scriptu- 
ral views upon the subject of Church Government, 

We remain your faithful servants. 

J AS. McDANIEL, 

a. Mcdowell, 

G. W. JOHNSON. 



catalogue of books. 
«* Next to your Bible is a faithful Church History." 

C|r0itol0gtCHl paters d Jorrip baptists, 

FROM A. D. 33 to 1S00. 

Nine Editions Sold in Nine Months. 

By G. H. Orchard, of England. Introductory Essay by J. R. Graves, pp. 300 
Tbis is what it purports to be, a History of the Church of Jesus Christ, not 
of the Romish Apostacy or any of her branches. It is unquestionably the most 
valuable Church History ever written. The author has incontestibly prove*) 
from Pedobaptist Historians and Scholars, that the Baptist churches are the 
ouly Christian communities that have stood since the days of the Apostles. 
The American Editor has received the thanks of the Baptists for introducing 
this work to the American public. Next to the Bible it is a truthful History 
of the Church. Let your children be made familiar with this work, and thej 
will never join a Pedobaptist Society. Send §1.00 to Graves, Marks & Co. 

OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 
From the Religious Herald, Richmond, Va. 

We have copied at full length this title page, as it furnishes a clear idea 
of the objects of the work, and the results it aims to accomplish. It is a hand- 
some 12mo. volume, of 403 pages, well-known and highly appreciated in Eng- 
land, and frequently referred to by writers on baptism in the United States. 
A few copies only have found their way here, and met with a ready sale. It 
is now re-published by Graves, Marks, & Co., Nashville, and Sheldon, Blake- 
man & Co., New York. We rejoice at its appearance, having long had 
a desire to secure a copy of this work, and we believe a more acceptable 
gift could not have been presented to the Baptist Church. We thank Eldei 
Graves, the prime agent in re-publishing this work, for his labor of love. He 
has prefixed an able Introductory Essay, which enhances its value. Wc have 
no doubt but that it will be heartily received and extensively circulated. 

It is a step towards furnishing a true history of the church in the right direc- 
tion. Heretofore, with the exception of Jones', Church History has been but 
the record of the progress and triumphs of the Man of Sin- -the proceedings 
and details of an apostate church. Of the faithful few, who kept the truth 
amidst a faithless host, compelled to flee to, and abide for a season in the wil- 
derness, seeking refuge in the caves and dens of the mountains, no note has 
been taken, nor record made, until a recent period. Placed under the ban of 
church and state; deemed heretics; slandered and persecuted; they were too 
obscure to notice ; and their history at some periods, could scarcely be traced 
Still the Lord ever had a people of a pure speech, and maintaining the ordin- 
ances, and the great, principles of primitive Christianity, in truth and simpli- 
city. Though widely apart — separated by seas and oceans; without commu- 
nication with each other ; whether in Asia, Italy, France, Spain, the Turkish 
and Austrian dominions, Great Britain and Ireland, they exhibited the sam« 
regard for truth, and for the word of God. 






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